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^V*  PRINCETON,  N.  J.  ^ih 


Purchased   by  the 
Mrs.    Robert   Lenox    Kennedy   Church   History   Fund. 


Division -4r^.fN.". . SP.^  J>!jf 

Section »  jUS  \sO 


BAPTIST  HISTORY 

OF 

THE  NORTH  PACIFIC  COAST 


Rev.  J,  C.  Baker 


JAN   8 '1918 

Baptist  History  ""^cemn^ 


OF 


The  North  Pacific  Coast 

WITH  SPECIAL  REFERENCE 

TO 

WESTERN  WASHINGTON,  BRITISH 
COLUMBIA,  AND  ALASKA 

Rev.  J.  C.  BAKER 

Somedme  Sunday-school  Missionary  and  Depositary  of  the  American  Baptist 

Publication  Society,  Superintendent  of  Missions  of  the  American 

Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  Agent  of  Educational 

Institutions  in  the  Northwest,  Exlitor  of  the 

"  Baptist  Beacon,"  and  Pastor 


PHILADELPHIA 

American  Baptist  Publication  Society 

BOSTON  CHICAGO  ST.  LOUIS 

TORONTO.  CAN. 


Copyright  igm  by 
A    J.  ROWLAND,  Secretary 


Published  January,  1912 


DeMcation 


tn  VSlcmox^  ot  tbe  pioneer 

Baptists  of  tbe  ^riortb 

Ipacific  Coast 


PREFACE 


In  introducing  this  volume  to  the  Baptists  of  America  there  is  little 
needed  to  be  said.    The  author  has  undertaken  the  work: 

First.  Because  of  the  importance  of  the  field  historically  covered, 
which  is  second  to  no  other  in  America,  if  in  the  world,  in  its  ma- 
terial and  religious  possibilities. 

Secondly.  Because  of  the  rapidity  with  which  our  denomination 
has  grown  to  be  a  factor,  which  must  be  counted  in  every  great 
movement  for  the  betterment  of  mankind  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  to 
every  part  of  the  world  to  which  it  is  tributary. 

Thirdly.  Because  the  history  covers  the  most  important  period  of 
its  civic  and  religious  development,  namely,  laying  the  foundations. 

Fourthly.  Because  the  eye  and  heart  of  the  great  Baptist  brother- 
hood of  America,  five  millions  strong,  are  turned  this  way  asking  for 
the  history  of  this  important  and  far-reaching  period  of  mission 
work. 

Fifthly.  Because  for  several  years  I  have  been  solicited  by  a  large 
number  of  the  prominent  members  of  the  Northwest  Baptist  Conven- 
tion to  write  its  history,  and  officially  appointed  as  its  historical 
secretary  to  do  so,  with  a  consulting  committee  to  aid  me  in  the 
work.  This  committee  has  consisted,  uniformly,  of  Rev.  J.  Cairns 
and  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven,  whose  extensive  personal  experience  in  work 
on  and  knowledge  of  the  whole  field  have  rendered  their  services 
invaluable. 

Sixthly.  Because  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  of  the  time  covered 
by  this  history,  and  that  its  most  important  period,  the  author  was 
closely  and  a  large  part  of  the  time  officially  connected  with  the  work 
over  the  whole  field,  standing  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  these  noble 
men  and  women  of  God  who  devoted  the  best  years  of  their  own 
lives  to  this  Christly  service,  without  whom  it  could  not  have  been 
so  highly  honored  of  God,  approved  by  the  Spirit  and  the  preeminence 
given  to  the  Christ  in  whose  service  we  all  shared. 

From  many  sources  of  prominence  and  influence  all  along  the 
Pacific  Coast,  it  has  been  impressed  upon  me  that  I  should  take  up 
the  work;  that  it  was  needful  and  the  duty  of  some  one  to  write 
it  for  permanent  use  and  preservation  I  could  but  acknowledge. 
But  I  shrank  from  such  an  undertaking  for  two  reasons:  First,  be- 
cause Rev.  C.  H.  Mattoon  has  spent  years  of  time  and  large  money 
ill  gathering  Baptist  annals  covering  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  which 
it  was  anticipated  from  year  to  year,  would  be  published  in  a  single 
volume,  covering  the  whole  field.  I  was  anxious  to  have  his  annals 
thus   published.     I   recommended    it   to   the   General   Convention   in 

vH 


Vni  PREFACE 

1886,  as  a  member  of  the  Historical  Committee,  and  contimiously 
thereafter  I  fully  resolved  to  do  nothing  that  would  interfere  there- 
with. 

Meantime  I  was  gathering  and  writing  historical  data,  designing 
it  to  be  supplemental  to  the  publishing  of  Brother  Mattoon's  annals, 
and  largely  a  volume  of  reminiscences.  This  I  continued  until  1905 
when,  under  a  publishing  committee  of  the  Oregon  State  Convention, 
Brother  Mattoon  and  his  stockholders  brought  out  Volume  I  of  his 
"  Oregon  Annals,"  and  made  provision  for  a  second  volume  of  his 
"  Oregon  Annals,"  bringing  the  Oregon  history  down  to  1900,  but 
making  no  provision  for  publishing  the  Washington  and  northern 
Idaho,  British  Columbia,  and  Alaska  annals.  I  then  made  an  effort 
to  have  consolidated  all  his  unpublished  annals  in  a  second  volume, 
so  arranged  as  to  be  a  companion  of  the  first  Oregon  volume,  so 
that  the  two  would  cover  and  sell  together  on  the  whole  field.  When 
this  failed  of  accomplishment,  I  was  urged  to  take  up  my  work  and 
issue  a  volume  covering  the  early  North  Pacific  Baptist  history, 
and  especially  the  full  history  of  the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention. 
This  part  of  the  historical  narrative  of  the  Northwest  seemed  now 
to  be  pressed  upon  me ;  but  still  I  hesitated.  The  work  was  too  great 
and  the  expense  too  heavy,  I  thought,  for  one  of  my  age  and  means. 
But  in  April,  1907,  I  was  informed  that  Brother  Mattoon  and  his 
stockholders  had  decided  to  divide  his  annals  into  three  parts,  each 
covering  a  specified  portion  of  the  territory  covered  by  his  annals: 
one  part  assigned  to  Oregon ;  one  to  eastern  Washington  and  north- 
ern Idaho;  and  the  other  to  western  Washington,  British  Columbia 
and  Alaska,  and  that  already  the  eastern  Washington  and  northern 
Idaho  annals  had  been  contracted  for  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Beaven  and  Rev. 
A.  M.  Allyn  to  cover  that  field,  and  I  was  offered,  by  Brother 
Mattoon,  the  same  terms  to  carry  the  annals  for  the  western  district. 
I  submitted  the  proposition  to  the  Historical  Committee,  and  it  was 
decided  that  it  would  be  unwise  for  us  to  attempt  to  use  the  annals 
upon  the  terms  proposed,  and  I  was  advised  to  take  up  the  matter 
with  Brother  Mattoon  for  further  consideration,  which  I  did,  re- 
sulting finally  in  a  contract  with  Brother  Mattoon  and  his  stock- 
holders, whereby  his  annals  for  the  western  district  were  turned  over 
to  me  with  the  right  of  exclusive  and  unlimited  use  of  the  same  in 
my  volume,  for  which  I  have  contracted  to  remunerate  the  grantor 
by  paying  Brother  Mattoon  a  royalty  of  twenty-five  cents  per  copy 
sold  during  his  lifetime,  the  royalty  to  cease  if  he  should  die  be- 
fore the  expiration  of  eight  years  from  the  date  of  issue. 

The  annals  passed  into  my  hands  in  November,  1907.  I  had 
already  the  main  body  of  my  work  written,  and  it  required  months 
of  time  and  labor  to  readjust  my  manuscript  so  as  to  weave  the 
Mattoon  annals  into  my  history  and  give  Brother  Mattoon  and  his 
annals  the  setting  I  felt  they  so  richly  deserved  in  Baptist  history 
on  the  North  Pacific  Coast.     I  felt  sure  also,  that  I  could  make  a 


PREFACE  IX 

more  satisfactory  historical  work,  both  to  myself  and  the  denomi- 
nation. 

The  annals  had,  in  anticipation,  been  grafted  into  the  mind  of 
our  people  as  important  Baptist  history  of  such  a  character  as  to 
leave  a  noticeable  vacuum  in  the  narrative  if  left  out,  which  is  now 
fully  accounted  for  in  this  volume  over  his  own  signature. 

Aside  from  quotations  which  appear  in  this  volume,  I  have 
used  the  annals  to  verify  statements,  compare  dates,  and  to  espe- 
cially obtain  the  early  history  of  a  large  number  of  smaller  and 
extinct  churches.  The  history  of  most  of  the  larger  churches  I  had 
written  before  the  annals  .were  turned  over  to  me. 

The  author  is  also  indebted  to  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  D.  D.,  who 
assigned  to  me  his  memoirs  and  historical  data  for  use  in  my  history 
before  his  death.  Also  to  Rev.  S.  W,  Beaven,  who  had  gathered 
much  historical  data,  which  he  kindly  put  into  my  hands  for  use, 
and  which  have  been  a  great  service  in  rounding  out  a  complete  work. 

How  much  the  author  is  debtor  to  the  greater  Baptist  brother- 
hood of  the  North  Coast  is  beyond  computation.  For  a  quarter  of 
a  century  their  life  of  devotion  and  sacrifice  was  woven  into  my  life, 
and  I  am  writing  it  out  that  the  memory  of  the  Lord's  own  may  be 
honored  by  their  successors  as  worthy  of  a  place  in  history  beside 
those  of  a  later  period  who  are  carrying  forward  the  greater  work 
made  possible  by  the  forecast  and  fidelity  of  the  early  pioneers.  If 
any  have  escaped  the  author  who  should  have  been  named,  be  sure 
that  their  names  will  appear  in  the  higher  records  where  their 
achievements  will  be  illuminated  with  radiance  from  the  divine 
Recorder. 

To  the  pioneer  of  the  Northwest.     Phil,   i :  3. 

The  Author. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

PAGB 

Preface vii 

List  of  Portraits  xix 

Introduction    xxi 

Part  I. — Conventions 

I.  Organized    Effort.      1848-1876    3 

II.  Missionary  and  Educational  Society.     1876-1878  5 

III.  The  Society's  First  Year.    1878-1879  10 

IV.  The  Great  Missionary  Revival.     1879-1880   14 

V.  The  Plan  of  Co-operation.     1881   21 

VI.  A  Memorable  Year.    1882  23 

VII.  A  New  Era  in  the  Northwest.    1883  31 

VIII.  General  Satisfaction.     1884 41 

IX.  The  Attack  Upon  the  Office  of  the  Superintendent.   1885.  44 

X.  Dissolution  of  the  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast. 

1886  58 

XI.  Field  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association.    1887 6s 

XII.  Organization  and  First  Meeting  of  the  Northwest  Bap- 
tist Convention.     1888  67 

Xltl.  The  Northwest  Convention.     1889-1890  73 

XIV.  The  Northwest  Convention.     1891-1892  81 

XV.  The  Northwest  Convention.     1893-1895   87 

XVI.  The  Northwest  Convention.     1896-1898   95 

XVII.  Twelfth  Year  of  the  Northwest  Convention.    1899 loo 

XVIII.  Thirteenth  Year  of  the  Northwest  Convention.    1900.  . . .  103 

Part  II. — Puget  Sound  Association 

I.  Organization.     1871-1875    113 

II.  Enlargement.     1876-1878   117 

III.  Discouragements  and  a  New  Era.    1879-1882  124 

IV.  A  New  Policy.    1883-1884  127 

V.  The  Puget  Sound  Association  in  1885.    1885-1888  131 

VI.  A  Glance  Both  Ways.    1871-1888  i33 

xi 


Xll  TABLE    OF    CONTENTS 


Part  III. — Churches  of  the  Northwest 

PAGE 

I.  Mound  Prairie  Church  i39 

II.  Salmon  Creek  Church  140 

III.  The  Puyallup  Church  140 

IV.  Seattle  First  Church  142 

V.  Elma  Church   I53 

VI.  Forest  Church  i53 

VII.  Oysterville   Church    153 

VIII.  Olympia  First  Church  and  Central  Church   155 

IX.  Harmony  Church   160 

X.  White  River  Church    160 

XI.  Centralia   Church    (Formerly  Centerville) 161 

XII.  Centralia   ( 1891-1900)    163 

XIII.  Mountain  View  Church   164 

XIV.  Boisfort  Church 164 

XV.  Skomockaway  Church    165 

XVI.  Hopewell  Church  165 

XVII.  First  Church,  Skagit  City  166 

XVIII.  LaConner  Bethesda  Church   166 

XIX.  Second  Seattle  Church  169 

XX.  New  Hope  Church  170 

XXI.  First  Church,  Tacoma  170 

XXII.  Seattle  Scandinavian  Church   , 181 

XXIII.  Whatcom  First  Church   182 

XXIV.  Chehalis  First  Church  186 

XXV.  Lake  River  Church 187 

XXVI.  Mount  Vernon  Church  187 

XXVII.  Pleasant  Valley  Church  189 

XXVIII.  Tacoma  Scandinavian  Church  189 

XXIX.  La  Camas  Church   191 

XXX.  Ferndale  Church   192 

XXXI.  Dakota  Creek  Church   193 

XXXII.  Lewisville  Church  193 

XXXIII.  Avon  Church   194 

XXXIV.  Salkun   Church    194 

XXXV.  DuwAMisH   Church    194 

XXXVI.  Mauerman  Prairie  Church  194 

XXXVII.  Rankin  Church  195 

XXXVIII.  Whatcom  Scandinavian  195 

XXXIX.  La  Center  Scandinavian  195 

XL.  Dakota  Creek  Scandinavian   195 


TABLE    OF    COXTENTS  XIU 

PAGE 

XLI.  The  Houghton  Church  196 

XLII.  The  Kirkland  First  Church    196 

XLIII.  Bertrand  Prairie  Church   '. . .  196 

XLIV.  Vancouver,  Wash.,  First  Church   196 

XLV.  Toledo  Church   197 

XLVI.  Lynden  Church   199 

XLVII.  Tacoma  Central  Church  199 

XLVIII.  Vashon   Church    199 

XLIX.  WiNLocK  Church  200 

L.  Dog  Fish  Bay  Scandinavian  Church  201 

LI.  Orting  Central  Church  201 

LII.  Willapa  Church   202 

LIII.  Almira  Church    202 

LIV.  Lynden  Swedish  Church  203 

LV.  Kent   Church    203 

LVL  Seattle  Swedish  Church   204 

LVn.  Seattle  Norwegian  Danish  Church  205 

LVIIL  Seattle,  Market  Street  Church    206 

LIX.  Seattle,  North  Church  208 

LX.  Wright  Avenue,  Tacoma  Church   210 

LXL  Deming  Church   211 

LXn.  Lynden  Scandinawan  Church  211 

LXIII,  Calvary  Church  of  Tacoma,  K  Street  211 

LXIV.  Beracha  Church   212 

LXV.  Custer  Little  Bethel  Church  212 

LXVL  Port    Townsend    Church    212 

LXVn.  IssAQUAH  Church   215 

LXVIIL  Tacoma,  Fern  Hill  Church  216 

LXIX.  Ballard  Church  217 

LXX.  Fairhaven  Church   219 

LXXL  Blaine  Church  220 

LXXn.  HoQuiAM   Church    221 

LXXHL  South  Bend  Church  223 

LXXIV.  Bellingham  or  New  Whatcom  Swedish  Church  223 

LXXV.  MoNTESANo  Church    224 

LXXVL  Port  Angeles  Church    225 

LXXVH.  Castle  Rock  Church  226 

LXXVHL  Elma  Church   226 

LXXIX.  Stanwood  Swedish  Church  226 

LXXX.  New  Hope  Church  226 


XIV  TABLE   OF    CONTENTS 

PACE 

LXXXI.  Rolling  Bay  Church   227 

LXXXII.  Pearson  Swedish  Church  227 

LXXXIII,  Tacoma  Olivet  Church  (Colored)   227 

LXXXIV.  Black  Diamond  Church   228 

LXXXV.  Hopewell  or  Ethel  Church 229 

LXXXVI.  Olympia  Temple  Church  229 

LXXXVII.  Franklin  Church   ( Colored)    230 

LXXXVIII.  Delta  Swedish  Church  230 

LXXXIX.  Aberdeen  Church  231 

XC.  Second  Centralia  Church  232 

XCI.  SuMAs  Church   233 

XCII.  The  Lyman  Church  233 

XCIII.  Napavine  Church  233 

XCIV.  Snohomish  Church  233 

XCV.  Fremont  Church    234 

XCVI.  Everett  First  Church   236 

XCVII.  OscoTA  Church  239 

XCVIII.  Cedarholm  Swedish  Church  239 

XCIX.  Ballard  Swedish   Church    239 

C.  Rochester  Church  239 

CI.  Tacoma  Swedish  Church  240 

CII.  Maple  Grove  Church   241 

CIII.  Foster  Swedish  Church  241 

CIV.  Skagit  Swedish  Church  241 

CV.  Ilwaco  Church   242 

CVI.  Burton   Church    ' 242 

CVII.  Bethany  Church   243 

CVIII.  Tacoma  German  Church  C44 

CIX.  Aberdeen  German  Church  245 

ex.  Newcastle  Church  (Colored)  245 

CXI.  Seattle  Mount  Zion  Church  (Colored)  245 

CXII.  Ballard  Norwegian-Danish  Church  246 

CXIII.  Lopez  Church   246 

CXIV.  Northrup  Church   246 

CXV.  Pleasant  Hill  Church  246 

CXVI.  The  Tabernacle  Church    247 

CXVII.  Tacoma  Immanuel  Church  247 

CXVIII.  West  Ferndale  Swedish  Church  248 

CXIX.  Seattle  Japanese  Church   248 

CXX.  North  Bend  Church  249 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS  XV 

PAGB 

CXXI.  QuiLCENE  Church    250 

CXXII.  Ballard  Calvary  Church  250 

CXXIII.  South  Tacoma  Church  250 

CXXIV.  New  Whatcom  Immanuel  Church  251 

CXXV.  Dryad  Church  251 

CXXVI.  Ballard  Calvary  Church  251 

CXXVII.  Preston  Swedish  Church  251 

CXXVIII.  Bellevue  First  Church  252 

CXXIX.  Clearwater  Church   253 

Part  IV. — Baptist  History  in  British  Columbia  (1874-1900) 

I.  Beginnings   257 

II.  The  Victoria  Church  260 

III.  The  Calvary  Church   266 

IV.  The  New  Westminster  Church 270 

V.  The  Churches  of  Vancouver,  B.  C 277 

1.  First  Church  , 277 

2.  Nanaimo   Church    278 

3.  Emmanuel  Church   279 

4.  Chilliwack  Church    279 

5.  Vancouver  Mount  Pleasant  Church 280 

6.  Mission  City  (B.  C.)   Church   280 

7.  Vancouver  Zion  Church  281 

8.  The  Rossland  Church   281 

9.  Nelson  Church  281 

10.  The  Chemainus  Church   282 

11.  The  First  Church  of  Kamloops  282 

12.  The  Saanich  Church   282 

Part  V. — Auxiliary  Organizations 

Baptist  Young  People's  Union  of  Western  Washington  and 

British   Columbia   285 

The  "  Baptist  Beacon  "  288 

Women's  Foreign  Mission  Society: 

I.  Beginnings    296 

II.  Oregon   301 

III.  Eastern  Washington  and  Northern  Idaho 305 

IV.  Western  Washington  and  British  Columbia 308 

V.  Division    3^6 


XVI  TABLE   OF    CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Baptist  Work  Among  the  Indians  in  Washington  319 

Baptist  Work  Among  the  Native  Tribes  in  Alaska   327 

The  First  Baptist  Church  in  Alaska  331 

Scandinavian  Work: 

I.  Beginnings    333 

II.  Swedish  Conference  337 

The  Japanese  Mission  in  Seattle  344 

The  Japanese  Mission  in  Tacoma  348 

Work  Among  the  Chinese  : 

I.  Foundations  Laid  349 

II.  The  Portland  Mission  352 

III.  Home  Mission  Society  Takes  Up  Chinese  Work  354 

IV.  The  Salem  and  Albany  Missions  356 

V.  Anti-Chinese  Feeling   358 

VI.  Seattle  Chinese  Mission  360 

Home  for  the  Children  of  Foreign  Missionaries  363 

Part  VI. — Education 

I.  Educational  Beginnings  369 

II.  Colfax  College  374 

III.  Grace  Seminary   379 

IV.  North  Pacific  University  387 

V.  The  Seattle  University  394 

VI.  University  of  Seattle  396 

VII.  Thomas   Morton's  Gift  for  Baptist  Education   in   British 

Columbia    402 

VIII.  Education  from  1898-1900  405 

Part  \''II. — Publication  Society 

I.  Denominational  Work — Laying  the  Foundation  409 

II.  Difficulties  Overcome  411 

III,  Prospecting   414 

IV.  Individual  Influence  418 

V.  A  Chief  Corner-stone  424 

Part  VIII. — Home  Mission  Society 

I.  Following  the  Star  429 

II.  The  Star  Shines  432 

III.  The  "  Mission  Star  "  Abides   437 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS  XVU 


Part  IX. — Personal  Sketches 

PAGB 

Vincent  Snelling   445 

Rev.  C.  H.  Mattoon  445 

Rev.  E.  Curtiss  448 

Rev.  J.  C.  Richardson  448 

Rev.  J.  T.   Huff 448 

Rev.  a.  J.  HuNSAKER  449 

Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns  449 

Lemuel  J.  Holgate 450 

Mrs.  a.  J.  Hanford  450 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Holgate  451 

Judge  C.  H.  Hanford 451 

Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth   452 

Rev.  B.  N.  L.  Davis  453 

Dea.  a.  W.  Kinney  454 

Rev.  J.  WiCHSER   456 

Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  D.  D 457 

Rev.  Roger  S.  Greene  462 

Rev.  Josiah  Harris  Teale  462 

Rev.  Walter  Barss   463 

Rev.  B.  S.  MacLafferty  464 

Rev.  D.  D.  Proper 465 

Rev.  George  Robert  Cairns  466 

Rev.  Sterling  Hill   467 

Appendix    469 


LIST  OF  PORTRAITS 

PAGB 

Rev.  J.  C.  Baker  Frontispiece 

Hon.  Henry  Warren  19 

Mr.  A.  JV.  Stannard  19 

Dea.  A.  IV.  Kinney 19 

Dea.  R.  H.  Espey  19 

Rev.  A.  IV.  Rider  23 

Rev.  B.  S.  MacLafferty,  D.  D 23 

Rev.  James  Sunderland,  D.  D 23 

Rev.  C.  A.  Cavender 67 

Judge  Roger  S.  Greene  67 

Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  D.  D 67 

Corwin  Sheridan  Shank,  LL.  D 7Z 

Rev.  C.  A.  IVooddy,  D.  D 73 

Rev.  W.  E.  Randall  72, 

Geo.  JV.  Fowler  73 

Rev.  James  S.  Casio  131 

Rev.  Thomas  Harper  139 

Mrs.  Thomas  Harper  139 

Rev.  J.  Wichser  140 

Mrs.  J.  Wichser  140 

Rev.  R.  Weston  142 

Mrs.  A.  J.  Hanford  152 

Rev.  Joseph  W.  Beaven  170 

Mr.  Alexander  Clyde  256 

Mrs.   Alexander  Clyde    256 

Mr.  Caleb  Bishop 256 

Mrs.  William  Spofford    256 

Mr.  A.  J.  Clyde  262 

Mrs.  A.  J.  Clyde 262 

Mrs.  C.  Spofford  262 

Dea.  Thomas  Haughton   266 

Mrs.  Robert  Moran   266 

Mrs.  J.  L.  McNaughton   266 

Rev.  Robert   Lennie    270 

xix 


XX  LIST    OF    PORTRAITS 

PAGB 

C.  M.  McNaughton 270 

Rev.  P.  H.  McEwen  277 

Hon.  William  Merchant   277 

Rev.  W.  T.  Stackhouse  277 

Mrs.  B.  S.  MacLafferty  296 

Fanny  Cheney  Bennett  296 

Mrs.  T.   W.  Boardman   301 

Mrs.  Henry  Warren  301 

Mrs.  J.  S.  Casto  308 

Mrs.  Roger  S.  Greene  308 

Mrs.  E.  R.  Bailey   317 

Rev.  W.  H.  Latoiirette  327 

Mrs.  George  W.  Ward  344 

Mr.  George  W.  Ward  344 

Mrs.  J.  C.  Baker  356 

Mrs.  V.  K.  Blackburn  356 

Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven  z^Z 

Mrs.  S.  W.  Beaven  {nee  Baker)   363 

Rev.  Geo.  C.  Chandler,  D.  D 369 

Mrs.  Geo.  C.  Chandler    369 

Rev.  James  Cairns   374 

Mrs.  A.  F.  Cruttenden  379 

Mrs.  E.  T.  Trimble 379 

Mr.  E.  T.  Trimble 379 

Mrs.  Jennie  M.  Baker  Shank  ". 379 

Mrs.  D.  A.  B.  Swasey 379 

Rev.  W.  E.  M.  James 418 

Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns 418 

Rev.  A.  D.  McMichael   418 

Rev.  C.  H.  Mattoon  445 

Rev.  E.  Cttrtiss  448 

Rev.  J.  T.  Huff  448 

Rev.  A.  J.  Hunsaker 448 

Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  D.  D 457 

Rev.  J.  H.  Teale  462 

Rev.  William  Canies   462 

Rev.  Walter  Barss 463 

Rev.  Geo.  Robert  Cairns  466 


INTRODUCTION 


One  cannot  write  a  history  of  the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention 
without  covering  the  early  history  of  the  Baptists  in  Oregon,  northern 
Idaho,  Washington,  and  British  Columbia.  The  early  life  of  the 
pioneer  Baptists  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  was  so  interwoven,  their 
trials  and  struggles  were  an  experience  so  completely  shared  in  com- 
mon, their  aims  and  efforts  were  so  united,  their  years  of  endeavor 
and  sacrifice  under  a  single  organization  were  so  fraternal,  and  they 
became  so  nearly  one  body  in  the  Master's  service,  that  when  the 
time  came  to  establish  new  organizations  to  widen  their  influence 
and  increase  their  power  at  home  and  abroad  in  spreading  the  gospel, 
it  seemed  much  like  the  breaking  up  of  a  family  which  had  been 
reared  together,  whose  life  was  bound  by  common  ties  of  love, 
sympathy,  interest,  and  purpose,  and  whose  members  were  going  out 
to  bless  the  world  with  similar  families,  improved  by  providential 
circumstances  demanding  their  activities,  and  by  increase  in  re- 
sponsibilities growing  out  of  the  rapidly  increasing  population  and 
the  marvelous  development  of  material  and  commercial  resources  of 
the  Northwest.  The  original  Baptist  Convention  of  the  North 
Pacific  Coast  was  the  family  out  of  which  has  grown  the  Baptist 
Convention  of  Oregon,  the  Baptist  Convention  of  Eastern  Washington 
and  Northern  Idaho,  the  Baptist  Convention  of  British  Columbia, 
and  the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention,  whose  history  we  are  about 
to  record. 

There  is  a  fascination  gathering  about  the  early  history  of 
Christian  work  and  workers,  since  we  inevitably  connect  them  in  our 
thoughts  with  the  continued  effort,  and  the  constant  enlargement  of 
the  superstructure  rising  upon  the  foundation  they  have  laid.  Christ 
said  to  his  personal  followers :  "  Other  men  labored,  ye  have  entered 
into  their  labors."  He  often  found  it  necessary  to  call  the  attention 
of  his  disciples  to  what  the  "  other  men  "  said  and  did,  and  to  in- 
spire their  courage  by  a  recital  of  what  their  predecessors  had  given, 
borne,  and  suffered  for  his  name's  sake.  Paul  found  it  necessary  to 
shame  the  Corinthian  Christians  for  following  false  apostles,  prac- 
tising heathen  customs,  and  failing  to  keep  the  ordinances  as  they 
were  committed  to  them,  by  a  rehearsal  of  his  own  devotion  to  Christ 
and  his  sufferings  for  him,  and  by  faithful  teaching  in  their  early 
history.  The  eleventh  chapter  of  Hebrews  has  quickened  and 
strengthened  the  faith  of  God's  people  in  all  past  ages,  and  will  have 
the  same  effect  in  all  the  ages  to  come.  A  prayerful  reading  of  it 
will  fan  one's  faith  into  a  flame  which  will  bum  and  spread  wher- 
ever the  Spirit  leads  to  conquest  of  the  world  for  Christ.    The  Chris- 

xxi 


XXll  INTRODUCTION 

tian  world  needs  that  other  wonderful  rehearsal  of  God's  early  deal- 
ings with  his  people  in  their  troubles  and  wanderings,  in  their 
early  captivity  and  sufferings,  which  is  found  in  the  One-hundred- 
and-fifth  Psalm.  Who  can  read  it  without  being  infused  anew  with 
the  divine  energy  which  brooks  no  failure  and  the  God-given  faith 
that  no  weapon  formed  against  the  church  of  Christ  shall  prosper?  We 
need  not  only  all  this,  but  the  history  of  our  early  Baptist  pioneers 
in  the  Northwest  also,  to  furnish  something  closer  and  more  tangible 
to  spur  us  on  to  the  greater  things  to  be  accomplished  in  Christ's 
service  because  of  the  greater  opportunities  and  larger  means  at  our 
disposal  to  work  out  the  purposes  of  God  in  putting  us  upon  this 
field. 

We  should  go  back  to  the  forties  and  read  of  the  lives  and  faithful 
self-sacrifices  for  the  Master  and  for  the  Baptist  cause,  of  such  men 
as  Dea.  David  Lenox,  who  crossed  the  plains  in  1843,  bringing 
enough  Baptists  with  him  to  organize  in  his  house,  in  1844,  the  first 
Baptist  church  on  the  Pacific  Coast;  of  Henry  Sewell,  a  member  of 
the  same  party,  who  organized  in  the  same  house  the  first  Baptist 
Sunday-school;  of  the  Rev.  Vincent  Snelling,  who  preached  the  first 
Baptist  sermon,  baptized  the  first  Baptist  convert,  and  was  the  first 
pastor  of  this  same  first  Baptist  church  organized  on  the  Pacific 
Coast,  namely,  the  West  Union  Baptist  Church,  located  at  Taulatin 
Plains  in  Washington  County,  Ore.  We  should  read  of  the  Rev. 
Ezra  Fisher,  pastor  of  several  churches,  teacher,  and  leader  in  all 
forms  of  Christian  work,  from  1845  to  1874;  of  the  Rev.  Hezekiah 
Johnson  who,  while  pastor  at  Oregon  City,  opened  the  first  Baptist 
Sunday-school  and  built  the  first  Baptist  meeting-house  on  the  Pacific 
Coast;  and  of  the  Rev.  George  C.  Chandler,  the  cultured  executive 
man-of-all-work,  who  came  from  influential  positions  in  Indiana  to 
be  the  first  president  of  McMinnville  College,  Ore.  Who  can  read  of 
these  men,  of  their  struggles  and  triumphs,  and  not  be  moved  to 
greater  eflforts,  increased  gifts,  and  more  deeply  felt  sacrifices  for 
the  cause  of  our  ever-devoted  and  exalted  King? 

These  men  labored,  and  we  have  entered  into  their  labors.  Like 
Paul,  these  men  were  troubled  and  perplexed  on  every  side,  yet  not 
in  despair;  often  cast  down,  but  neither  forsaken  nor  destroyed. 
Like  their  divine  Master,  they  went  about  doing  good.  They  often 
followed  the  trails  of  wild  animals,  Indians,  or  cattle,  to  carry  the 
gospel  to  the  scattered  settlers.  They  traveled  on  foot  or  on  horse- 
back, camping  beside  the  trail,  sleeping  in  the  open  forest  with  the 
wild  animals  howling  around  them,  often  meeting  hostile  Indians 
whose  threatening  aspect  drove  them  nearer  to  God,  whom  they  trusted 
for  protection  which  never  failed  them.  Many  of  these  ministers 
were  uneducated,  as  the  term  goes;  but  they  had  a  call  from  God 
to  go  forth  and  carry  the  glad  tidings  of  great  joy  to  the  unsaved, 
to  comfort  the  people  of  God  with  his  blessed  word,  and  to  encour- 
age  them   by   their   personal   presence.     They   were   men   of    God, 


INTRODUCTION  XXlll 

mighty  in  the  Scriptures,  They  believed  they  had  a  mission  from 
God  to  preach  the  doctrines  and  ordinances  of  the  grace  of  God 
according  to  the  Scriptures,  .with  neither  addition  nor  subtraction 
in  their  biblical  mathematics.  They  were  intensely  biblical  in  their 
discourses  and  exhortations.  They  were  also  intensely  Baptist.  Many 
of  them  were  Landmarkers,  but  they  were  intensely  spiritual.  They 
loved  the  Lord  Jesus.  They  sought  and  obtained  the  Spirit's  power. 
Baptist  converts  and  Baptist  churches  were  multiplied.  They  laid 
the  foundation  and  made  it  possible  for  us  to  enter  into  their  labors 
with  greater  opportunities  and  greatly  increased  facilities  to  give 
expression  to  the  Christ  life  in  us,  as  they  did  to  the  Christ  life  in 
them.  Many  of  them  have  gone  to  their  reward,  but  some  remain; 
and  we  gladly  accord  this  tribute  of  love  to  their  memory  in  recogni- 
tion of  their  exalted  services. 

If  all  this  and  more  should  be  said  of  these  godly  men,  ,what 
pen  can  do  justice  to  the  devoted,  consecrated,  burden-bearing  wives 
of  this  pioneer  band?  These  women  kept  the  house,  made  the 
garden,  milked  the  cows,  helped  to  pile  and  burn  the  brush,  plow 
the  field,  raise  the  crop,  care  for  the  children,  and  protect  them  from 
the  wild  animals  and  the  Indians,  and  watched  with  longing  hearts 
for  the  return  of  the  husband  and  father  from  the  field  of  Christian 
endeavor  made  possible  for  them  only  by  such  devotion  as  this. 
These  noble  women  bore,  and  had  a  large  share  in  rearing,  the  men 
and  women  who  were  the  strength  of  our  denomination  on  this 
northwest  coast  for  more  than  a  generation.  All  honor  to  their 
devotion,  all  praise  to  their  faith  and  courage  during  a  period  that 
tried  men's  faith  and  tested  their  courage.  A  woman's  society  in 
those  pioneer  homes  consisting  of  wife  and  mother  as  president, 
secretary,  and  treasurer,  and  the  family  as  constituent  members,  laid 
the  foundation  for  the  growth  and  prosperity  which  the  twentieth- 
century  Baptists  inherit  as  the  heirloom  from  these  mothers  in 
Israel,  the  pioneer  Baptist  women  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  Many 
of  them  were  brilliant  stars  that  shone  with  a  radiance  at  once 
bright  and  beautiful,  inspiring  courage  and  fidelity  in  all  with  whom 
they  came  in  contact.  Many  are  living  who  have  grasped  them 
by  the  hand  and  felt  the  influence  of  their  great  Christian  womanli- 
ness flow  into  their  very  souls,  inspiring  to  loftier  impulses  and 
greater  consecration  to  the  Master's  service.  High  up  in  this  galaxy 
we  name  Mrs.  Ezra  Fisher,  Mrs.  G.  C.  Chandler,  Mrs.  Henry  War- 
ren, Mrs.  J.  T.  Huff,  Mrs.  T.  W.  Boardman,  and  others,  in  Oregon ; 
Mrs.  H.  A.  Hanford,  Mrs.  J.  A.  Wirth,  Mrs.  Roger  S.  Green,  Mrs. 
G.  W.  Ward,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Traver.  and  others,  in  Washington;  Mrs. 
C.  Clyde,  Mrs.  Thomas  McNaughton,  Mrs.  Thomas  Haughton,  and 
others,  in  British  Columbia. 

All  honor  to  these  pioneer  men  and  women,  and  to  their  worthy 
successors,  living  and  acting  in  the  twentieth  century ! 


PART  I 
CONVENTIONS 


CHAPTER  I 

ORGANIZED  EFFORT 
1848-1876 

First  Association.  Field  of  operation.  Statistics.  Second  Association,  1856. 
Third  Association,  1857.  First  Baptist  church  in  Washington  Territory.  First  As- 
sociation in  Washington  Territory.  First  general  organization.  Lived  one  year. 
Second  general  organization.  Name  changed  twice.  Statistics  in  1871.  Names  of 
pioneer  ministers.  Annual  meetings.  Fraternal  co-operation.  Suspension.  Sunday- 
school  convention  organized. 

The  first  Baptist  Association  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast  was  or- 
ganized at  West  Union  Church,  Malatin  Plains,  Ore.,  June,  1848,  the 
year  before  the  exodus  from  the  East  to  the  gold  fields  of  California, 
taking  the  name  of  the  Willamette  Association.  Five  churches 
entered  into  the  organization,  representing  a  membership  of  eighty- 
seven. 

While  its  membership  and  its  field  of  immediate  operation  were 
in  the  Willamette  Valley,  yet  the  oversight  of  the  Baptist  interests  in 
the  whole  northwest  territory,  then  Oregon  Territory,  naturally  de- 
volved upon  this  organization,  and  its  minutes  show  that  the  hearts 
of  its  leaders  were  large  enough  to  take  in  the  most  remote  Baptist 
family  or  interest  in  that  wide  field.  In  1856,  eight  years  later,  the 
churches  numbered  twenty-six,  with  a  total  membership  of  eight 
hundred  and  thirty-one,  and  reported  one  hundred  and  thirteen  bap- 
tisms for  the  year.  At  the  annual  meeting  that  year,  the  Association 
was  divided  to  form  the  Corvallis  Association,  and  a  year  later,  the 
Central  Association.  Thus  began  the  organized  effort  of  the  Baptists 
on  the  North  Pacific  Coast. 

It  was  ten  years  later  that  the  first  Baptist  church  was  organized 
in  Washington  Territory,  namely  The  Mound  Prairie  Baptist  Church, 
and  fourteen  years  before  the  first  meeting  was  called  to  organize 
an  Association  there.  This  meeting  was  called  in  October,  1871,  at 
Olympia,  and  resulted  in  the  organization  of  the  Puget  Sound  Baptist 
Association,  with  a  total  membership  of  eighty-eight.  Prior  to  this 
a  general  organization  of  Baptists  had  been  formed  in  Oregon,  with 
which  some  of  the  churches  in  western  Washington  became  affiliated. 

In  September,  1857,  "  The  Oregon  Baptist  General  Association  " 
was  formed,  but  expired  at  the  annual  meeting  of  1858,  on  account  of 
political  differences,  culminating  in  the  Civil  War.  In  1876  another 
organization  was  effected  under  the  name  of  "  The  Baptist  General 
Association  of  Oregon."  This  name  was  changed  in  1870  to  "The 
Oregon  Baptist  State  Convention,"  and  again,  in  1871,  to  "  The 
Baptist  Convention  of  Oregon  and  Washington  Territory." 

This  marks  the  beginning  of  organized  work  in  western  Wash- 

3 


4  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

ington,  practically  covering  the  territory  of  the  Northwest  Conven- 
tion. At  this  date,  September,  1871,  there  were  reported,  at  the 
annual  meeting,  forty-two  ministers  located  in  Oregon  and  five  in 
Washington  Territory.  These  five  were  Rev.  J.  J.  Clark,  Salmon 
Creek,  Clarke  County;  Rev.  R.  Weston,  Steilacoom;  Rev.  S.  E, 
Steams,  Oysterville;  Rev.  W.  S.  Wilmot,  Marion  Ridge,  Clarke 
County;  and  Rev.  Joseph  Casto,  Elma,  Chehalis  County;  and  two 
of  the  churches,  Oystervulle  and  Elma,  were  represented  by  dele- 
gates. In  the  annual  gatherings  that  followed,  fraternal  and  co- 
operative relations  existed.  At  the  General  Convention,  held  in 
Salem,  Ore.,  in  1872,  the  minutes  show  several  members  in  attend- 
ance from  Washington.  Among  them  were  Revs.  Roger  S.  Greene,  of 
Olympia,  Associate  Justice  Supreme  Court;  P.  H.  Harper,  of  Olympia; 
Thomas  B.  ^''an  Horn,  Fort  Vancouver,  chaplain  United  States  Army ; 
J.  Freeman,  D.  D.,  of  Seattle;  J.  J.  Clark,  from  Clarke  County;  and 
others. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in  1873,  covering 
the  territory  now  covered  by  the  Northwest  Convention,  there  were 
present  from  Oregon  Rev.  Addison  Jones,  Rev.  Geo.  C.  Chandler, 
D.  D.,  Rev.  A.  R.  Medbury,  Prof.  Mark  Bailey,  Dea.  Josiah  Failing, 
and  R.  R.  Lombard,  as  fraternal  delegates.  The  Association  appointed 
fraternal  delegates  to  Oregon  Associations,  and  Rev.  Joseph  Free- 
man. D.  D.,  Rev.  Joseph  Casto  and  wife,  and  Rev.  P  H.  Harper,  as 
delegates  to  the  Baptist  Convention  of  Oregon  and  the  Territory,  of 
Washington.  The  most  brotherly  feeling  prevailed  in  the  hearts  of 
these  early  workers  for  Christ.  To  them  the  great  territory  was 
one  field. 

These  fraternal  relations  continued  by  the  interchange  of  dele- 
gates, and  in  1874  the  Puget  Sound  Association  appointed  as  delegates 
Elders  Casto  and  Steams  to  the  Oregon  and  Washington  Baptist 
Convention,  to  be  held  at  The  Dalles.  Ore.,  the  next  year. 

Rev.  C.  H.  Mattoon,  in  his  "Oregon  Annals,"  Vol.  I,  p.  217, 
records :  "  That  in  April,  1872,  a  Baptist  Sunday-school  Convention  of 
marked  interest  was  organized  at  Portland,  with  forty  messengers 
from  Oregon  and  Washington  Territory."  This  Convention  there- 
after held  its  meetings  in  connection  with  the  General  Convention, 
its  interest  waning  and  eventually  terminating  when  the  Convention 
itself  ceased  to  meet. 


CHAPTER  II 

MISSIONARY  AND  EDUCATIONAL  SOCIETY 
1876-1878 

Meet  at  Albany.  Name.  Field.  Constitution.  Purpose.  Provide  Boards.  Great 
discouragement.  "  Nothing  can  be  done."  Hearts  burdened.  A  remnant.  Assets. 
Great  missionary  revival.  Inspiration.  Remarkable  tour.  Another  factor.  Another 
remarkable  tour.  Self-help  and  no  debt.  First  report  of  Board.  In  it  and  must  go 
on.     Missionary  appointed. 

From  1873  to  1876  there  seems  to  have  been  a  practical  suspen- 
sion of  the  work  of  the  Oregon  and  Washington  Convention.  At  the 
end  of  a  meeting  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association,  held  at  Seattle 
in  1875,  the  Association  passed  a  resolution  severing  its  connection 
with  the  Oregon  Convention.  This  practically  broke  up  that  organi- 
zation, no  annual  meetings  being  held  thereafter.  At  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Willamette  Association,  held  in  Portland,  June  23, 
1876,  the  members  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  old  Convention 
consulted  together  and  brought  the  matter  to  the  attention  of  the 
delegates  in  attendance  upon  the  Association.  In  committee  of  the 
whole,  after  full  discussion,  they  were  urged  by  the  brethren  present 
to  take  some  action,  and  the  following  resolution  was  passed :  "  That 
we,  at  an  informal  meeting  at  Portland,  request  that  the  Executive 
Committee  of  the  Oregon  and  Washington  Convention,  and  the 
Oregon  Sunday-school  Convention,  call  those  bodies  together  at  such 
time  as  they  think  most  prudent." 

This  committee  called  a  meeting  at  Albany,  Ore.,  June  25,  1877. 
At  this  meeting  it  was  determined  to  reorganize  the  Convention 
under  the  name  of  "  The  Baptist  Missionary  and  Educational  Society," 
its  field  of  operations  to  be  Oregon,  Washington,  and  Idaho  Terri- 
tories, and  British  Columbia.  The  following  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  draft  a  constitution :  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  Pacific  agent  of  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  chairman;  Dea.  A.  W.  Kinney, 
of  Salem;  Hon.  W.  C.  Johnson,  of  Oregon  City;  Hon.  B.  F.  Dorris, 
of  Eugene  City;  Hon.  R.  Thompson,  of  Albany;  Rev.  J.  T.  Huff,  of 
Oregon  City;  Rev.  G.  J.  Burchett,  of  Astoria;  Rev.  R.  C.  Hill,  M.  D., 
of  Albany;  and  Rev.  R.  W.  Rice,  of  Portland.  This  committee  pre- 
pared a  constitution  which  was  adopted,  the  purpose  of  the  society 
being  expressed  as  follows :  "  The  object  of  the  society  shall  be  to 
promote,  foster,  and  sustain  the  missionary  and  educational  work 
of  Baptists  on  this  field.  It  shall  seek  to  unite  our  entire  denomination 
in  sustaining  missionaries,  aiding  feeble  churches,  promoting  Sunday- 
school  work,  and  building  up  the  cause  of  Christian  education." 

The  constitution  provides  for  a  Board  of  Missions  to  have 
charge  of  the  missionary  work  of  the  societv,  including  the  raising 

5 


6  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

and  disbursing  of  funds  and  an  Educational  Board  to  have  charge  of 
the  work  of  Christian  education.  It  was  to  arrange  that  one  session 
of  the  society  should  be  given  to  Christian  education  at  each  annual 
meeting,  and  also  to  co-operate  with  McMinnville  College,  the  only 
school  we  had  on  the  North  Coast  at  that  date.  The  constitution 
also  provided  for  a  Sunday-school  Board,  which  should  arrange  to 
hold  Sunday-school  conventions  and  institutes,  as  the  society  might 
direct,  and  provide  a  program  to  occupy  two  sessions  of  the  annual 
meeting.  Afterward,  there  was  added  a  Board  for  Foreign  Missions, 
and  provision  made  for  women's  work  as  a  part  of  the  convention 
business. 

At  the  time  of  the  organization  of  this  society  there  was  general 
apathy  and  great  discouragement  on  all  the  field  embraced  in  the 
constitution,  in  reference  to  mission,  educational,  and  Sunday-school 
work,  also  in  ministerial  supply  for  the  churches.  Many  good 
brethren  said :  "  Nothing  can  be  done."  The  failures  of  the  general 
work  attempted  by  former  organizations  had  cast  a  gloom  over  the 
whole  field  so  far  separated  from  the  great  denominational  life, 
and  unable  by  contact  to  feel  the  denominational  pulse  through  the 
great  societies.  Minds  and  hearts  became  burdened  by  the  vastness 
of  the  field  and  by  intense  anxiety  growing  out  of  the  belief  that 
God  held  them  accountable  for  the  wise  and  scriptural  laying  of  foun- 
dations on  which  should  be  reared  the  structure  of  Christian  civiliza- 
tion for  a  coming  empire,  and  from  which  should  flow  out  to  the 
teeming  millions  of  earth's  population  across  the  Pacific  the  pure 
gospel  of  the  Christ.  No  wonder  that  this  handful  of  God's  people, 
with  their  limited  resources  and  their  inability  to  impress  their 
Eastern  brethren  in  the  great  centers  of  American  life  and  Baptist 
strength  with  the  importance  of  their  field,  should  become  dis- 
heartened. True,  there  were  those  who  remembered  and  believed  the 
words  of  the  Lord  Jesus:  "Fear  not, Tittle  flock;  it  is  your  Father's 
good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom  " ;  and  the  Lord  inspired  others 
to  join  them  in  an  honest,  faithful,  united  efifort  to  compass  the 
land  and  develop  self-help  as  a  basis  for  future  growth. 

At  this  time,  as  far  as  could  be  ascertained,  there  were  but 
two  sources  of  annual  contribution  to  the  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society,  and  three  to  the  foreign  missionary  work  under 
the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast. 
The  Home  Mission  Society  was  aiding  at  that  time  to  support 
Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth  at  Seattle,  W.  T.;  Rev.  C.  W.  Rees  at  Eugene 
City,  Ore.;  Rev.  T.  J.  Huff  at  Oregon  City,  Ore.;  Rev.  G.  W. 
Bond,  half  time  at  Avery  Butte,  Ore. ;  Rev.  P.  H.  Harper  at  Center- 
ville  (now  Centralia),  W.  T. ;  and  Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns,  half  time  for 
eastern  Washington  and  Idaho,  and  half  time  for  eastern  Oregon. 
The  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  was  supporting  Rev.  J.  C. 
Baker,  as  Sunday-school  missionary  and  business  agent  for  the 
Pacific   Coast,   with   headquarters    at    San    Francisco,   but   giving   a 


MISSIONARY    AND    EDUCATIONAL    SOCIETY  7 

share  of  his  time  to  the  upper  coast.  This  constituted  the  missionary 
force  of  our  general  societies  on  the  upper  coast,  when  the  Missionary 
and  Educational  Society  was  organized  in  the  summer  of  1877. 

This  organization  may  be  fairly  regarded  as  the  beginning  of  the 
great  missionary  revival  that  within  five  years  swept  over  the  whole 
territory  named  in  the  constitution,  including  over  ninety  per  cent. 
of  the  churches  as  regular  contributors  to  home  missions,  and  over 
fifty  per  cent,  as  contributors  to  foreign  missions.  Much  of  the 
inspiration  in  starting  this  marvelous  work  came  from  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society,  which  was  pushing  the  Sunday-school 
work  over  all  the  field.  In  the  summer  of  1875,  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker, 
Sunday-school  missionary  of  the  society,  made  a  remarkable  tour 
of  the  field  in  the  interest  of  Sunday-schools,  which  Rev.  D.  J. 
Pierce,  then  pastor  at  Portland,  planned,  and  of  which  he  writes  as 
follows : 

The  Sunday-school  missionary  wrote  me  at  Portland,  asking  if  I  would 
arrange  a  thirty  days'  trip  for  him  through  the  Northwest,  desiring  to 
touch  as  many  towns  as  possible  in  the  entire  region.  Mr.  Pierce  accord- 
ingly arranged : 

I.  A  trip  from  Portland,  south  to  Oregon  City,  Salem,  Albany,  and 
Eugene,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles  and  return.  2.  East,  to  The 
Dalles  and  Walla  Walla,  three  hundred  miles  and  return.  3.  North,  to 
Vancouver,  Tacoma,  Olympia,  and  Seattle  in  Washington,  and  Victoria, 
B.  C,  three  hundred  and  fifty  miles  and  return.  4.  West  to  Astoria,  one 
hundred  miles  and  return. 

The  Sunday-school  missionary  arrived  in  Portland  by  steamer  at 
four  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  pastor  took  him  directly  to  his  study  in 
the  First  Baptist  Church  where  the  entire  trip  was  traced  out  and  accepted 
and  the  missionary  started  the  same  day,  making  the  entire  schedule  in 
thirty  days.  Returning,  he  visited  the  Willamette  Association  at  The 
Dalles;  struggled  with  a  $1,300  debt,  which  he  wiped  out;  and  dedicated  the 
house  of  worship  free.  During  this  trip  the  Sunday-school  missionary 
was  enthusiastically  received  on  all  parts  of  the  field,  and  a  new  interest 
was  awakened  in  the  Sunday-school  work.  Still,  while  the  Sunday- 
school  work  was  made  the  prominent  feature,  missions  home  and  foreign, 
Christian  education,  and  church  support,  were  talked  about,  preached 
about,  prayed  over,  in  families,  churches.  Associations,  everywhere,  to 
pave  the  way  for  the  reorganization  of  the  general  work. 

Another  important  factor  in  inspiring  this  remarkable  missionary 
revival  came  from  the  Women's  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of 
California.  In  the  summer  of  1877  this  society  sent  Mrs.  J.  C.  Baker 
as  its  representative  to  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  in  the  interest  of 
women's  work  among  women  in  heathen  lands.  She  made  a  tour 
of  the  North  Coast  in  company  with  her  husband,  equally  remarkable 
in  time  consumed,  places,  churches,  and  Associations  visited,  and 
more  remarkable  in  the  inspiration  and  interest  awakened  over  the 
whole  field  than  the  tour  of  her  husband  the  previous  year.  The 
time  seemed  ripe  for  such  a  work.  The  Holy  Spirit  seemed  to  have 
prepared  the  way  for  the  coming  of  this  messenger  of  the  Lord. 
She  was  accompanied  by  the  consecrated  ]\Irs.  J.  T.  Huff  in  much 


8  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

of  her  work  in  Oregon,  seconded  and  aided  by  Mrs.  Ezra  Fisher, 
Mrs.  Henry  Warren,  Mrs.  Geo.  C.  Chandler,  Mrs.  A.  W.  Kinney,  Mrs. 
L.  L.  Bailey,  Mrs.  D.  J.  Pierce,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Russ,  Mrs.  F.  O.  Mc- 
Cowan,  Mrs.  L.  D.  C.  Latourette,  Mrs.  T.  W.  Boardman,  Mrs.  A.  W. 
Stannard,  Mrs.  Sterling  Hill,  Mrs.  A.  J.  Hunsaker,  Mrs.  Rufus  Thomp- 
son, Mrs.  David  Hurst,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Mitchell,  Mrs.  C.  W.  Rees,  Mrs. 
A.  Casto,  and  many  others  in  Oregon;  by  Mrs.  R.  S.  Greene,  Mrs. 
M.  E.  Traver,  Mrs.  J.  A.  Wirth,  Mrs.  H.  A.  Hanford,  Mrs.  G.  W. 
Ward,  Mrs.  J.  Webster,  Mrs.  B.  W.  Johns,  Mrs.  James  Gaches,  Mrs. 
W.  H.  Mitchell,  and  many  others  in  western  Washington;  by  Mrs. 
Thos.  McNaughton,  Mrs.  C.  Clyde,  Mrs.  Thos.  Haughton,  and  other 
devoted  women  in  British  Columbia;  by  Mrs.  Minnie  Pruett,  Mrs.  C. 
Hill,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Miller,  Mrs.  J.  M.  Walker,  and  many  other  noble  and 
consecrated  women  east  of  the  Cascade  Mountains,  and  by  a  host 
of  others  in  all  places  visited.  With  no  exception,  the  Lord  manifested 
his  approval  of  the  work  in  every  meeting  held.  Two  circles  were  re- 
organized, twelve  new  circles  formed,  and  the  whole  denomination 
was  set  on  fire  by  the  spirit  of  missions,  a  fire  that  spread  its  light 
and  heat,  with  unremitted  gales  wafted  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  until  the 
spirit  of  missions  filled  the  great  throbbing  heart  of  our  beloved 
people;  and  it  still  continues  its  gracious  flow.  More  than  we 
know,  the  success  of  our  work  on  this  upper  coast  is  due  to  these 
consecrated  women  who  in  faith  and  courage  emulated  the  dear 
Lord  and  his  early  disciples,  and  helped  the  brethren  over  the 
reef  of  discouragement  into  the  brighter  sea  of  peaceful  and  rapid 
sailing;  and  yet,  we  who  have  entered  into  their  labors  should 
not  forget  that,  first,  most,  and  all  the  time,  we  are,  as  they  did, 
to  give  the  credit  of  this  great  missionary  awakening  to  the  Holy 
Spirit,  without  whose  indwelling  and  guidance  these  devoted  workers 
could  not  have  seen  light  where  others  saw  darkness,  or  success 
where  others  saw  failure.  It  was  f roiri  Him  that  they  drew  inspiration 
for  themselves  and  wisdom  to  impart  it  to  their  brothers.  The 
writer  has  visited  hundreds  of  churches  during  many  years  in  the 
general  service  of  our  denomination,  and  cheerfully  records  this 
as  one  of  the  most  remarkable  and  far-reaching  manifestations  of 
the  Spirit  in  his  experience  of  nearly  fifty  years  in  the  ministry. 

The  Missionary  and  Educational  Society  early  adopted  as  a  main 
feature  of  its  policy  the  "  developing  of  self-help  and  no  debt." 
The  Mission  Board,  at  its  first  meeting,  held  in  Albany,  before 
leaving  the  city  after  their  appointment,  adopted  as  the  first  article 
in  their  plan  of  work :  "  We  will  only  employ  missionaries  as  we  have 
money  to  pay  them.  We  will  contract  no  debts."  This  was  in  June, 
1877.  The  Convention  adjourned  to  meet  in  McMinnville  in  October, 
1877,  when  this  was  approved  by  vote  of  the  body.  The  Board  also 
reported  to  the  Convention  that  many  encouraging  letters  had  come 
to  hand  in  the  interval  between  the  two  meetings,  and  said :  "  The 
field  is  wide.    Many  places  are  calling  for  help.     Washington  Terri- 


MISSIONARY    AND    EDUCATIONAL    SOCIETY  9 

tory,  British  Columbia,  Idaho,  as  well  as  Oregon,  send  in  their 
appeals.  The  more  urgent  and  important  of  these  ought  to  be  met  at 
an  early  day."  This  response  from  the  distant  fields  was  electri- 
fying. It  settled  any  doubt  or  hesitation  about  co-operation,  and 
largely  removed  any  fear  of  possible  failure.  The  brethren  felt  and 
said :  "  We  are  in  it.  We  have  assumed  the  responsibility.  Now  we 
have  only  to  be  strong  and  quit  us  like  men.  There  is  no  backing 
out."  In  the  Baptist  Beacon  for  November,  1877,  an  editorial  was 
published  by  the  president  of  the  Board,  reflecting  the  sentiment  of 
the  Convention  and  the  purpose  of  the  Board.  Rev.  J.  C.  Richardson 
had  been  appointed  general  missionary  by  the  Convention,  and  had 
accepted  the  call.  The  article  says:  "  Now,  brethren  of  the  churches, 
we  have  a  missionary.  God  has  opened  the  way  again  for  Baptists 
to  enter  upon  general  missionary  work.  While  we  have  been  idle, 
God  has  been  enlarging  our  field.  Instead  of  Oregon  and  Washing- 
ton Territory  for  a  field,  we  have  added  Idaho  and  British  Columbia. 
Instead  of  one  missionary  we  ought  to  have  three.  Some  say  that 
Oregon  Baptists  will  not  support  one  man  on  this  great  field ;  but  the 
Board  says  they  will — the  Board  trusts  them  to  do  it,  and  will  be 
greatly  disappointed  if  they  do  not.  This  work  is  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
Our  missionary  is  well  and  favorably  known  by  all  classes  of  Baptists. 
He  is  a  man  of  God,  a  sound  Baptist,  true  to  the  word  of  God ; 
converts  under  his  preaching  must  come  into  the  church  by  way  of 
the  cross  and  the  Jordan.  Churches  organized  by  him  will  not  need 
reconstructing  at  the  first  monthly  meeting,  feeble  churches  where  he 
holds  meetings  will  be  permanently  helped.  The  revival  meeting  will 
not  be  the  only  thing  sought,  but  in  all  the  elements  of  church 
structure,  growth,  and  work,  there  will  be  instruction  and  encourage- 
ment when  needed.  Let  the  watchword  be  '  Onward.'  Let  us  now 
begin  to  pray  for  our  missionary;  and  when  he  comes  among  you, 
don't  send  him  away  empty-handed.  No  matter  how  poor  the  church 
or  the  field  where  he  labors,  do  what  you  can  to  help  the  Board  in 
his  support." 


CHAPTER  III 

THE  SOCIETY'S  FIRST  YEAR 
I 878- I 879 

First  year  of  work.  Report  of  Board.  Statistics.  Beacon  abroad.  Women's 
meeting.  Change  of  name.  Change  of  purpose.  Important  article.  Two  great 
objects.  Greater  than  any  man.  Business  confidence.  Natural  barriers.  A  liberal 
people.     Instability.     Loss. 

At  the  close  of  its  first  year  the  society  met  at  Oregon  City, 
October  31,  1878,  and  the  Board  reported  that  Rev.  J.  C.  Richardson 
had  labored  as  general  missionary  during  the  year,  spending  his  time 
partly  in  Oregon  and  partly  in  eastern  Washington.  In  May,  the 
Board  appointed  Rev.  W.  E.  M.  James  as  colporter  missionary  in  the 
southwestern  part  of  western  Washington.  In  June,  the  Board  ap- 
pointed Rev.  T.  J.  Huff  as  a  second  general  missionary  to  give  most 
of  his  time  to  work  in  western  Washington  and  British  Columbia. 
The  report  of  the  missionaries  shows :  Sermons  preached,  three  hun- 
dred and  thirty-eight;  churches  organized,  one;  Sunday-schools  or- 
ganized, nine;  baptized,  twenty-five;  collected,  $312.29;  paid  for 
traveling  expenses,  $94.20.  Money  flowed  into  the  treasury  from  all 
parts  of  the  field.  The  treasurer  reported  $1,453.71  raised,  all  ex- 
penses paid,  and  $231.33  remaining  as  a  balance.  In  addition,  the 
women's  society  had  raised  $162.50  for  foreign  missions,  thirteen 
thousand  copies  of  the  Baptist  Beacon  had  been  published  and  circu- 
lated, and  money  had  come  in  to  pay  all  expenses,  leaving  seventy  cents 
to  its  credit.  The  president  of  the  Board  gave  the  general  sentiment 
of  the  people  when  he  said  of  the  Baptist  Beacon,  in  November,  1878: 
"  I  am  persuaded  that  among  the  agencies  used  during  the  year  in 
promoting  the  interests  of  the  society  and  uniting  our  people  in  one 
great  work,  the  Baptist  Beacon  has  borne  a  very  conspicuous  part, 
and  perhaps  has  been  an  indispensable  agency."  Rev.  A.  S.  Coates, 
then  pastor  at  Portland,  in  writing  the  report  of  the  Board  said: 
"  Many  churches  that  were  rent  by  divisions  have  been  united  and 
set  to  work  again  for  the  Master;  many  backsliders  have  been  re- 
<:laimed,  the  good  seed  of  the  kingdom  sown  in  many  hearts,  the 
fruit  of  which  no  man  can  estimate."  A  women's  meeting  was  held  in 
connection  with  the  annual  meeting,  occupying  most  of  two  sessions. 
It  was  of  great  interest  and  was  participated  in  by  fifty  members.  An 
afternoon  and  evening  session  was  given  to  Sunday-school  work 
and  full  time  to  Christian  education. 

At  this  meeting  the  name  of  the  society  was  changed  from 
"  The  Baptist  Missionary  and  Educational  Society  "  to  "  The  Baptist 
Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast,"  its  territory  and  purpose 
10 


THE    SOCIETY  S    FIRST    YEAR  II 

remaining  the  same.  To  some  extent,  however,  this  changed  the 
purpose  of  the  society,  as  was  feared  by  several  of  the  leading 
spirits  of  the  Convention.  We  copy  from  an  editorial  in  the  Baptist 
Beacon  of  November,  1878,  an  article  touching  this  change  which 
seems  very  important  to  a  lucid  understanding  of  this  very  important 
initial  period  of  the  organized  work  on  this  great  field. 


WHAT    IS    IT.    AND    HOW    IS    IT    TO    BE    CARRIED    FORWARD? 

We  had  supposed  we  had  written  and  explained  the  purpose  of 
"The  Baptist  Missionary  and  Educational  Society,"  in  the  Beacon,  until 
all  were  well  posted  as  to  its  object  and  plan  of  work;  but  it  appears  we 
have  not  explained  it  sufficiently,  even  to  the  minds  of  some  who  have  been 
most  actively  engaged  in  the  work  with  us.  The  object  of  the  society, 
as  stated  in  its  Constitution,  Article  II,  reads  as  follows:  "The  object 
of  this  society  shall  be  to  promote,  foster,  and  sustain  the  missionary 
and  educational  work  of  Baptists  on  this  field.  It  shall  seek  to  unite 
our  entire  denomination  in  sustaining  missionaries,  aiding  feeble  churches, 
promoting  Sunday-school  work  and  building  up  the  cause  of  Christian 
education."  The  purpose,  then,  of  the  society,  is  not  to  interfere  with  the 
work  of  any  Association  or  church.  We  wish  the  co-operation  of  the 
Associations  and  the  churches,  in  doing  a  general  work  which  they 
cannot  do  unaided.  It  is  not  our  purpose  to  build  up  a  Baptist  Convention 
which  will  be  subject  to  inevitable  changes  as  the  churches  in  the  various 
parts  of  our  field  multiply,  and  need  Conventioiis  of  their  own.  We 
have  not  been  laboring  to  build  up  a  Convention,  but  a  Missionary 
Society,  around  which  we  could  rally  all  our  forces  for  all  time.  Such 
a  society  so  broad  in  its  grasp,  so  concise  in  its  plans,  so  judicious  in  its 
management,  and  so  effective  in  its  work  that  it  will  grow  into  the 
heart  and  confidence  of  our  people,  until  neither  the  growth  of  States, 
the  increase  of  churches,  the  vicissitudes  of  Associations  or  State  Con- 
ventions, the  death  of  old  men,  or  the  coming  of  new,  the  caprice  of 
factions  or  geographical  jealousies,  will  any  more  change  the  purpose 
of  the  society's  labor  than  you  could  change  the  current  of  the  Columbia ; 
a  society  that  would  bring  its  appointed  representatives  together  every 
year,  not  to  discuss  points  of  parliamentary  law,  to  make  speeches  upon 
side  issues  or  tinker  constitutions,  as  is  too  often  tlie  history  of  State 
Conventions  and  local  Associations,  but  to  seek,  with  God's  help,  and 
the  united  wisdom  he  gives  us,  the  very  best  possible  means  to  accomplish 
the  purpose  we  have  in  view,  a  society  which,  in  the  hearts  of  the  people, 
is  greater  than  any  man,  greater  than  any  Association  or  any  State  Con- 
vention. Such  a  society,  and  such  only,  will  draw  to  its  support  the 
resources  of  our  denomination.  Let  our  people  once  understand  tbat  this 
is  our  purpose,  fixed  and  immovable,  and  you  will  find  it  represented  in 
all  our  churches,  on  all  parts  of  the  field,  by  such  free-will  offerings  as 
the  people  are  able  to  make,  and  also  in  the  wills  of  those  who  go  on  to 
glory  before  us,  to  create  a  permanent  fund  to  aid  in  the  permanent  work 
planned  by  those  whose  forecast  they  believe  to  have  been  inspired  by  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

That  this  has  been  the  general  understanding  among  our  people,  and 
fostered  by  our  missionaries,  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  from  Jackson- 
ville on  the  south  to  New  Westminster  on  the  north,  from  Astoria  on  the 
west  to  the  Palouse  country  on  the  east,  there  has  been  but  one  expres- 
sion, and  that  of  deep  and  abiding  interest  on  the  part  of  our  people  in  its 
work,  and  in  the  way  to  carry  it  forward.    This  has  come  from  all  parts 


I  2         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

of  the  great  held,  as  you  will  see  by  the  treasurer's  report.  That  this  has 
been  the  purpose  of  the  Board,  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  it  has  sent 
the  missionaries  to  all  parts  of  the  field.  Our  earnest  and  faithful  mis- 
sionaries have  performed  valuable  and  successful  labor  in  southern, 
central,  western,  and  eastern  Oregon ;  in  Idaho ;  in  eastern  and  western 
Washington,  and  in  British  Columbia.  We  speak  conhdently  of  their  work 
because  we  know  the  men,  and  that  they  are  both  capable  and  faithful. 
In  addition  to  this,  we  have  letters  from  nearly  every  field  where  they 
have  labored,  speaking  in  the  highest  terms  both  of  the  men  and  of  their 
work,  and  have  yet  to  receive  a  letter  finding  any  fault  with  them,  but 
rather  a  universal  desire  expressed  for  their  return,  and  that  they  be 
kept  in  the  held. 

We  have  two  grand  purposes  in  view :  The  first  is  missionary,  and 
of  this  we  have  said  enough.  The  second  is  educational.  To  foster 
Christian  education  on  all  parts  of  the  field ;  but  especially  we  have  in 
view  in  this  society,  provision  for  the  education  of  the  ministry.  Among 
the  things  we  need  to  do  at  the  very  earliest  possible  date  is  the  endow- 
ment of  a  theological  chair,  where  our  ministers  can  avail  themselves  of  a 
partial,  and  eventually,  a  full  course  of  theology.  For  the  purpose  of 
such  a  work  as  this  we  need  such  a  society  as  we  have  mapped  out,  a 
society  in  whose  permanency  and  work  our  business  men  will  repose  such 
confidence  that  they  will  give  their  money  to  endow  it,  as  they  will  to 
create  a  permanent  fund  to  carry  forward  its  mission  work. 

There  are  natural  barriers  in  the  way  of  Eastern  men,  or  even 
national  societies  developing  our  resources.  For  more  than  a  score  of 
years  it  has  been  tried,  and  so  far  it  is  a  failure.  The  writer  has  had 
opportunity  to  make  observations  all  over  the  coast,  and  he  has  yet  to 
find  the  man  who  has  been  willing,  or  is  willing,  to  put  his  money  in 
any  considerable  sums  into  these  societies  for  general  work.  It  is  not 
because  we  have  not  the  men  who  are  liberal,  or  who  have  not  the  money 
to  give.  We  have  both.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  Eastern  families 
who  have  made  money  to  give  to  Christ,  and  who  are  giving  it  by 
the  tens  of  thousands,  we  have  never  come  in  contact  with  a  more  liberal 
class  of  men  than  we  find  on  this  coast.  The  reason  why  they  do  not 
put  their  money  into  the  Home  Mission  Society  for  general  missionary 
work  is  not  so  much  a  want  of  interest  in  that  society  and  its  work, 
but  it  is  too  far  off.  The  help  it  has  rendered  and  can  render  on  the 
coast  has  not  made  itself  so  felt  as  to  touch  the  pockets  of  our  people. 
We  may  be  to  blame  for  this,  but  we  speak  of  facts.  Now  what  we  want, 
and  what  we  are  trying  to  do  on  this  North  Pacific  Coast,  is  to  develop 
self-help,  is  to  lay  some  plan  by  which  we  can  develop  our  own  strength 
and  resources  to  carry  forward  the  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
the  world;  and  every  Eastern  society  will  rejoice  to  see  us  do  this.  We 
can  never  aid  them  until  we  are  in  a  position  to  put  money  and  time 
into  our  own  work. 

The  instability  of  any  plan  heretofore  adopted  to  reach  these  results, 
is  the  one  great  difficulty.  There  seems  to  have  been  no  plan  sufficiently 
coherent  to  hold  the  denomination  together  and  make  it  successful. 
Under  our  present  plans,  more  has  been  done,  probably,  than  in  any 
single  year  of  our  history  as  a  denomination.  Before  the  first  year  of 
work  closes,  there  is  a  demand  for  the  incorporation  of  the  society 
because  the  Lord  is  putting  it  into  the  hearts  of  some  of  his  people  to 
make  provision  in  their  wills  for  the  permanent  work  of  the  society. 
Just  what  effect  the  changing  of  the  name  of  the  society  will  have  upon 
this  class,  we  cannot  say ;  but  we  fear  that  the  fact  that  the  name  of  the 
society  can  be  bereft  of  its  distinctive  character  may  induce  such  persons 
to  fear  that  the  whole  policy  of  the  society  may  at  some  time  be  changed 
with  as  little  consideration. 


THE   SOCIETY  S    FIRST   YEAR  1 3 

As  feared  and  expressed  in  this  article,  only  one  of  the  men 
who  were  known  to  have  plans  and  purposes  of  large  benefactions 
for  the  permanent  work  of  the  society  adhered  to  his  purpose,  and 
he  with  a  much  smaller  sum  than  before  contemplated.  Yet  it  creates 
no  division  of  forces,  only  regret  that  the  society  could  not  be  made 
permanent  and  the  greater  purpose  accomplished. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE   GREAT   MISSIONARY    REVIVAL 
I 879- I 880 

Great  revival.  Rev.  A.  S.  Coat's  report.  Two  missionaries.  One  colporter. 
Statistics.  Financial.  Growing  interest.  Beacon's  one  great  need.  Increasing  confi- 
dence, 1880.  Brother  Coat's  reports  for  Board.  No  longer  an  experiment.  Self-help. 
Eleven  missionaries.  Statistics.  Financial.  Women's  works.  Foreign  Mission  Sec- 
retary. Co-operation.  Plan.  Iron-clad.  Commercializing.  Summary  of  independent 
work.     Inexpensive  machinery. 

Under  this  Convention  the  great  missionary  revival  went  on,  and 
no  department  of  work  was  immediately  affected  unfavorably  by  the 
change.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Baptist  Convention  for  the 
North  Pacific  Coast,  held  at  Brownsville,  Ore.,  Oct.  30,  1879,  the 
report  of  the  Board,  written  by  Rev.  A.  S.  Coats,  secretary,  gives  the 
following  summary  of  work  for  the  year: 

Missionaries  under  appointment  during  the  year,  six ;  two  general 
missionaries,  one  colporter  missionary,  and  three  missionary  pastors.  Rev. 
J.  C.  Richardson  and  Rev.  J.  T.  Huff  were  the  general  missionaries ; 
Rev.  W.  E.  M.  James  was  the  colporter  missionary  in  western  Washing- 
ton ;  Rev.  J.  L.  Blitch,  D.  D.,  had  been  engaged  as  missionary  pastor  at 
Walla  Walla,  Rev.  J.  B.  Jones  in  Clackamas  County,  Ore.,  and  Rev.  C.  P. 
Bailey  in  Coos  County,  Ore.  They  have  traveled  in  the  performance 
of  their  mission  four  thousand  one  hundred  and  three  miles,  at  an 
expense  of  $150.35.  They  have  collected  for  the  missionary  work 
$45505.  They  have  preached  four  hundred  and  thirty-eight  sermons, 
made  eighty-five  addresses,  also  forty-one  Sunday-school  addresses,  held 
one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  prayer  meetings,  made  eight  hundred  and 
fifty-nine  religious  visits,  conversed  with  fifty-one  inquirers,  and  been 
instrumental  in  forty-one  conversions.  -  They  have  baptized  eighteen  con- 
verts, visited  twenty-nine  churches,  organized  two  churches,  received  by 
letter  and  experience  forty-one  additions  to  their  churches.  They  have 
visited  twenty-four  other  fields,  organized  twelve  Sunday-schools,  dis- 
tributed three  thousand  four  hundred  and  sixteen  tracts,  sold  five  Bibles 
and  six  Testaments,  and  given  away  twenty-three  Bibles  and  fifty-six 
Testaments.  The  treasurer  reports  the  amount  collected  for  all  purposes, 
$1,652.29.     Paid  out,  $1,512.85.     Balance  on  hand,  $139.44. 

The  report  speaks  of  the  work  of  our  general  missionaries  and 
colporter  missionary  as  being  not  only  efficient,  but  as  showing  a 
growing  interest  in  the  work  all  over  the  field.  It  also  speaks  of 
a  growing  interest  in  our  educational  work,  and  of  the  work  of  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  and  says  that  the  favor  with 
which  the  Baptist  Beacon  is  being  received  has  materially  assisted  in 
developing  our  work. 

The  Convention  passed  the  following  resolution  touching  the 
Home  Mission  Society: 

14 


THE    GREAT    MISSIONARY    REVIVAL  1 5 

Resolved,  That  this  Convention  recognizes  with  gratitude  the  efforts 
put  forth  in  the  past,  and  at  present  being  put  forth  by  the  American 
Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  to  supply  the  spiritual  destitution  of  this 
field. 

Resolved,  That  we  rejoice  in  the  harmonious  relations  existing  be- 
tween the  Missionary  Board  and  this  society,  and  that  \ye  invite  the 
society  to  increase  the  amount  appropriated  to  this  field  till  it  shall  at 
least  equal  the  amount  expended  by  our  Board. 

The  Convention  also  expressed  its  conviction  that  one  great 
need  in  our  educational  work  is  a  fund  of  $20,000  to  endow  a  chair  of 
theology  so  that  our  young  men  may  have  some  help  at  home  in 
preparing  for  the  ministry. 

The  Board  says: 

We  are  happy  to  record  an  increasing  confidence  and  interest  on 
the  part  of  our  denomination  in  the  cause  of  home  missions.  Scattered, 
as  we  are,  over  an  immense  range  of  territory,  comprehending  within  our 
bounds  nearly  four  times  as  much  of  the  earth's  surface  as  is  covered  by 
all  New  England,  and  enjoying,  as  we  do,  but  slight  means  of  communi- 
cating with  each  other,  we  could  hardly  expect  that,  within  the  two  years 
which  have  elapsed  since  the  organization  of  this  body,  all  our  people 
would  yield  it  their  enthusiastic  support.  We  are  assured  that,  as  our 
membership  comes  more  and  more  to  see  how  exceptional  is  the  position 
we  occupy,  and  that  we  have  in  this  organization  a  convenient  and 
efficient  means  of  carrying  the  gospel  to  the  thousands  who  are  flocking 
to  our  coast,  they  will  more  and  more  unite  heart  and  hand  in  its  support. 

In  outlining  the  policy  for  the  year,  the  Board  added  to  the  duties 
of  the  general  missionary  that  of  looking  after  the  finances  of  the 
Convention.  Altogether,  the  Convention  was  inspiring,  and  the 
delegates  went  back  to  their  fields  full  of  hope  for  the  future. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Convention  at  Salem,  Ore.,  October  28, 
1880,  Rev.  A.  S.  Coats,  secretary  of  the  Board,  writing  the  report, 
says: 

In  presenting  our  annual  report,  we  have  words  of  cheer,  and  only 
words  of  cheer  to  offer.  The  missionary  work  of  the  Baptists  of  the 
Northwest  is  no  longer  an  experiment.  It  is  a  success,  and  has  come  to 
stay.  The  question  no  longer  is,  "  Shall  we,  as  Baptist  people,  arise  and 
do  our  part  toward  evangelizing  the  vast  territory  we  call  our  own?"  for 
we  are  in  the  very  midst  of  that  great  work ;  and,  in  comparing  ourselves 
with  others,  we  may  justly  claim,  as  far  as  self-help  is  concerned,  to  stand 
foremost  in  the  work.  Neither  is  the  question  any  longer  in  regard  to 
the  means  and  methods  of  carrying  on  the  work,  for  the  past  three  years 
demonstrate  the  fact  that,  as  a  denomination,  we  have  solved  this 
question.  The  only  question  is :  "  Shall  we,  as  a  denomination,  along  the 
lines  of  present  endeavor,  and  by  means  of  the  machinery  in  active  oper- 
ation, do  all  we  should  do,  all  that  we  can  do,  toward  bringing  our 
increasing  population  to  Christ?"  No  one  can  look  over  the  work  that 
our  missionaries,  cheered  and  supported  by  the  prayers  and  the  money  of 
our  people,  have  accomplished,  and  not  believe  that  this  question  also 
will  be  satisfactorily  answered. 

The  Board  aided  in  the  support  of  eleven  missionaries,  seven  of 
whom  are  now  upon  the  field,  three  in  Washington,  three  in  Oregon,  and 
the  general  missionary  dividing  his  .ime  on  the  whole  field.     They  report 


l6  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirteen  days  of  service,  eleven  thousand 
and  fifty-five  miles  traveled,  two  hundred  and  twenty-seven  books  sold, 
ninety-three  books  given  away,  preached  seven  hundred  and  seventy 
sermons,  delivered  two  hundred  and  sixty-three  addresses,  visited  for 
religious  conversation  two  hundred  and  thirteen  families,  conversed  with 
two  hundred  and  eighty-two  inquirers,  instrumental  in  ninety-four  con- 
versions, baptized  twenty-nine  converts.  They  report  collections  on 
the  field,  $927.51 ;  paid  traveling  expenses,  $240.60.  The  Board  reports 
that  its  policy  has  been  to  assist  those  who  give  their  entire  time  to  the 
work;  and  express  the  hope  that  this  policy  will  be  still  more  strictly 
adhered  to  in  the  future. 

The  treasurer's  report  shows : 

Cash  on  hand  at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  $139.44;  cash  received 
during  the  year,  $2,470.32;  total,  $2,609.76.  It  shows  all  expenses  paid, 
$1,897.87;   leaving  cash  on  hand,  $711.83. 

The  Board  reports  additions  to  the  churches  during  the  year,  three 
hundred  and  seventy;  diminutions,  two  hundred  and  seven;  net  gain,  one 
hundred  and  thirteen ;  total  membership,  three  thousand  one  hundred 
and  ninety-one.  The  Women's  Foreign  Mission  Society  reports  having 
raised  for  that  department  of  the  work  during  the  j'ear,  $348.68,  making 
the  field  yield  for  missionary  purposes  during  the  year,  $2,958.44.  This 
shows  over  ninety-two  cents  per  capita.  At  this  meeting  Rev.  J.  A. 
Wirth,  pastor  at  Seattle,  represented  the  work  on  Puget  Sound  and 
British  Columbia.  He  said :  "  On  that  vast  and  growing  field  there  is  but 
one  church  having  a  pastor  giving  his  whole  time  to  the  work  of  the 
church,  one  other  pastor  preaching  all  the  time,  but  supplying  several 
churches." 

At  this  meeting  it  was  also  voted  unanimously  and  heartily,  re- 
questing Rev.  B.  S.  McLafferty,  in  behalf  of  this  Convention,  to 
represent  the  cause  of  Foreign  Missions  during  the  year.  At  this 
meeting  also,  a  plan  of  co-operation  with  the  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society  was  adopted,  as  follows: 

PLAN    OF    CO-OPERATION 

The  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  proposes  to  co-operate 
with  the  Board  of  Missions  of  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the  North 
Pacific  Coast,  on  the  following  terms  and  conditions : 

1.  The  Home  Mission  Society  to  appropriate  to  mission  work  in 
Oregon,  Washington,  Idaho,  and  British  Columbia,  at  the  rate  of  two 
dollars  additional  to  every  one  dollar  raised  in  said  district  for  Home 
and  State  Missions.  It  being  distinctly  understood  that  money  paid 
by  a  church  for  services  rendered  to  it  by  its  pastor,  or  by  a  missionarj', 
and  money  received  and  designated  by  an  Association  for  a  missionary 
not  appointed  by  this  society,  shall  not  be  regarded  or  reported  in  the 
Convention  quota  of  missionary  contributions,  for  which  the  Home 
Mission  Society  shall  pay  two  dollars  to  one  dollar. 

2.  The  Convention  to  adopt  its  own  measures  in  the  collection  of 
funds,  provided,  however,  that  no  general  missionary  or  collecting  agent 
shall  be  employed  on  a  salary,  without  the  concurrence  of  the  Board  of 
the  American  Home  Mission  Society.  The  general  work  of  the  Home 
Mission  Society  to  be  presented  in  the  churches  annually. 

3.  All  missionary  money  contributed  by  churches  or  by  individuals,  to 
be   paid    to   the    treasurer    of    the    Convention.     The    treasurer    to    make 


THE   GREAT    MISSIONARY   REVIVAL  1 7 

quarterly  report  and  remittances  to  the  Home  Mission  Society,  and  to  be 
authorized  by  the  Convention,  in  case  receipts  at  the  end  of  any  quarter 
are  less  than  the  portion  of  the  appropriation  for  that  quarter,  to  borrow 
an  amount  sufficient  to  make  up  the  deficiency. 

4.  Appointments  and  appropriations  to  be  made  chiefly  at  the  beginning 
of  the  year,  and  modified  as  experience  and  receipts  suggest. 

5.  The  Home  Mission  Society  to  be  responsible  for  no  absolute  amount, 
but  merely  for  three  times  the  amount  actually  paid  into  the  treasury 
from  the  State,  and  all  appointments  of  missionaries  to  be  made  with 
this  understanding. 

6.  The  Convention  to  superintend  the  work  in  said  district,  select 
fields,  nominate  missionaries,  name  their  salaries,  and  determine  the  time  of 
labor.  The  Home  Mission  Society  to  appoint  and  pay  those  so  nominated 
so  far  as  they  approve  such  nominations  and  terms. 

7.  Reports  of  all  missionaries  to  be  made  in  duplicate  to  the  society 
and  Convention  quarterly. 

8.  The  Home  Mission  Society  to  appoint  at  its  option  an  Advisory 
Committee  of  three  brethren,  residents  of  the  district,  who  shall  be  entitled 
to  a  seat  in  the  Convention  and  its  Board  during  any  and  all  of  its 
deliberations,  though  without  the  privilege  of  voting  unless  members  of 
the  same. 

9.  This  plan  to  go  into  effect  at  the  beginning  of  the  Convention  year 
for  1880,  to  be  renewed,  modified,  or  terminated  yearly,  according  to 
mutual  agreement. 

To  some  brethren  this  plan  seemed  to  be  somewhat  ironclad; 
but  the  plan  was  adopted,  and  worked  without  the  friction  feared; 
and  very  little  necessity  was  found  for  either  changing  or  modifying 
it.  The  plan  of  co-operation  adopted  gave  a  new  impulse  to  the 
Home  Mission  Department  of  the  Convention  work;  but  it  wrought 
into  the  work  of  home  missions,  notwithstanding  the  effort  made 
by  those  who  directed  the  work  to  prevent  it,  a  spirit  of  commercial- 
ism which  heretofore  had  been  unknown  in  it.  Heretofore  the  appeal 
for  money  had  been  made  entirely  to  the  Christ  life  of  God's  people, 
in  Christ's  behalf.  Now,  while  this  was  not  omitted,  yet  there  was 
coupled  with  it  the  influence  or  motive  of  a  commercial  transaction, 
that  of  investing  one  dollar  to  get  back  three  dollars ;  or,  one  thou- 
sand dollars  to  bring  to  the  work  three  thousand  dollars.  This  effect 
could  not  be  prevented  nor  eliminated;  and,  to  the  extent  it  pre- 
vailed, would  prevent  the  full  development  of  the  spirit  of  benevo- 
lence, and  possibly,  in  the  end,  dry  up  its  source;  on  the  principle  that 
the  value  of  money,  given  to  the  Lord's  work,  depends  on  the  motive 
in  the  heart  of  the  giver. 

During  the  period  of  the  independent  work  of  the  Convention,  the 
following  growth  is  shown :  Namely,  in  membership,  from  1877,  when 
the  entire  membership  was  about  two  thousand  and  fifty  to  three 
thousand  one  hundred  and  ninety-one  reported  in  1880.  In  contribu- 
tions to  home  mission  work,  from  two  sources  on  the  field,  the  amount 
not  reported,  but  not  aggregating  more  than  $150  to  $2,609.76.  all  ex- 
penses paid,  and  $711.89  in  the  treasury.  The  gifts  to  foreign  mis- 
sions increased  the  same  year,  from  three  sources  of  contributions  so 
far  as  appears,  and  not  exceeding  $125  to  $339.15  from  the  churches. 


l8         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

and  $348.68  from  the  woman's  society,  making  a  total  for  foreign 
missions  of  $687.83.  Contributions  were  also  made  at  the  same  time 
to  the  work  of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  the  amount 
of  which  does  not  appear  in  the  records. 

Collections  had  likewise  been  coming  in  for  education,  building 
improvements,  Sunday-school  work,  and  other  benevolences  of  no 
inconsiderable  sums,  the  amount  of  which  does  not  appear.  Last, 
but  not  least,  a  missionary  revival  spirit  prevailed  over  the  field  of 
such  a  character  as  to  be  characterized  a  "  Great  Missionary  Revival." 
Notice  had  also  been  given  in  the  Convention  of  1880  to  provide  for 
a  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  so  as  to  connect  that  work  organically 
with    the    Convention. 

The  period  closes  with  a  building  projected  for  McMinnville 
College  to  cost  twenty  thousand  dollars,  over  one-half  of  which  had 
been  pledged.  A  flourishing  academy  had  also  been  started  in 
the  Baptist  church  at  Colfax,  W.  T.,  under  an  efficient  prin- 
cipal. Miss  M.  L.  West.  It  has  since  passed  into  the  hands  of 
our  denomination  as  a  Baptist  academy.  Plans  had  been  laid,  and 
pledges  largely  made,  to  add  four  rooms  to  the  church  building  to 
accommodate  one  hundred  pupils  already  asking  admittance  to  the 
school. 

In  those  days  Oregon  and  Washington  Territory,  northern 
Idaho,  and  British  Columbia  were  to  these  men  and  women  of  God 
who  were  carrying  on  this  mission  work  but  one  field.  Their  interest 
was  not  limited  by  any  geographical,  State,  or  territorial  distinction. 
In  their  hearts  and  plans  and  efforts  there  was  no  line  drawn  except 
that  of  destitution,  men  available  to  supply,  and  means  to  carry  for- 
ward the  work.  As  late  as  1879  there  were  reported  in  northern  Idaho, 
eastern  Oregon,  and  eastern  Washington,  but  four  hundred  and 
eighty-seven  members.  Grand  Ronde  Association  reported  but  eighty- 
three;  Puget  Sound  Association,  including  western  Washington  and 
British  Columbia,  reported  one  hundred  and  ninety-three  members. 
At  the  same  time,  western  Oregon  reported  two  thousand  two 
hundred  and  fifty  members.  From  this  last  source  came  largely  the 
means  to  carry  forward  the  work,  and  it  came  willingly  and  gladly. 
The  appeals  from  these  destitute  fields,  published  constantly  in  the 
Baptist  Beacon,  reached  the  members  of  every  church,  inspiring  mis- 
sionary enthusiasm  and  contributions  to  the  work.  The  members  of 
the  Missionary  Board  were  often  on  their  knees  before  God,  pleading 
for  men  and  means.  It  was  the  policy  of  the  Board  from  the  early 
beginning  of  its  work  to  keep  in  employ  every  available  man  on  the 
field  before  sending  for  Eastern  men.  Many  men  were  encouraged 
to  take  up  work  who  had  been  disheartened  for  years.  The  destitution 
in  western  Oregon,  which  was  widespread,  was  largely  met  by 
encouraging  such  men  to  enter  more  heartily  into  the  work,  some- 
times by  grouping  fields,  sometimes  by  aid  from  the  Board,  and 
often  inspired  by  the  greater  destitution  constantly  kept  before  them 


Hon.   Henry  Warren 


Mr.  A.  W.  Stannard 


Dea.  A.  W.  Kinney 


Dea.  R.  H.  Espey 


THE    GREAT    MISSIONARY    REVIVAL  IQ 

from  fields  at  a  greater  distance.  Many  of  these  men  of  God  who 
themselves  were  doing  effective  work  with  the  small  churches,  receiv- 
ing from  one  to  two  or  three  hundred  dollars  a  year  for  their  services, 
became  regular  and  liberal  contributors  to  the  general  work,  and  led 
their  people  to  become  contributors  too. 

Many  of  these  men  were  Landmarkers,  but  they  became  filled  with 
a  missionary  spirit.  Indeed,  some  of  the  most  efficient  and  devoted 
men  on  the  Board  for  many  years  were  Landmarkers.  Notable  among 
these  men  were  Dea.  A.  W.  Stannard,  of  Brownsville;  Dea.  Daniel 
Hurst,  Rev.  J.  C.  Richardson,  general  missionary,  and  Rev.  A. 
J.  Hunsaker,  of  McMinnville,  Ore. ;  Hon.  Rufus  Thompson,  of 
Albany,  and  Hon.  B.  F.  Dorris,  of  Eugene.  The  great  missionary 
revival  leveled  up  and  leveled  down  extreme  religious  and  political 
views  until  they  were  no  longer  a  bar  to  Christian  unity  and  effort 
in  church  and  denominational  work.  This  condition  prevailed  up  to 
the  time  of  the  division  of  the  field  into  different  conventions. 

Distance  and  expense  of  travel  made  it  necessary  to  have  the 
members  of  the  Mission  Board  so  located  that  they  could  be  brought 
together  often  for  efficient  service.  This  was  the  reason  why  the 
Board  was  composed  mostly  of  persons  within  easy  reach  of  Port- 
land, Salem,  Albany,  and  McMinnville,  Ore.,  then  centers  of  travel. 
The  Board  held  quarterly  meetings  at  different  places,  and  in  most 
cases  held  public  missionary  services  with  the  church  where  it  met 
These  services  were  usually  well  attended,  were  full  of  the  missionary 
spirit,  and  aided  in  promoting  the  "  great  missionary  revival." 

The  machinery  for  the  work  cost  comparatively  nothing.  There 
were  no  paid  agents  for  collecting  money.  The  general  missionaries 
were  instructed  to  take  collections  where  they  held  meetings,  but  not 
to  make  it  the  prominent  feature  of  their  work.  Most  of  the  pastors 
were  reached  through  the  Board,  and  through  them  the  churches  re- 
sponded with  liberal  contributions.  The  appeal  was  constantly  to  the 
Christ  life  in  God's  people,  and  inspired  sympathy  and  prayer,  and 
liberal  contributions  that  the  same  Christ  life  might  be  strengthened 
and  developed  among  their  brethren  in  destitute  fields,  to  be  used  for 
the  Master's  glory  in  leading  others  to  Christ. 

To  these  devoted  brethren  and  sisters  who  performed  this  joyful 
service  for  the  Master,  this  was  what  was  meant  by  developing  self- 
help.  It  meant  not  simply  supporting  pastors  and  paying  missionaries 
to  build  up  churches  and  the  denomination,  or  the  great  missionary 
societies,  but  developing  the  Christ  life  among  the  churches  out  of 
which  all  these  organizations  must  grow,  and  through  which  the  lost 
and  perishing  at  home  and  abroad  must  be  reached  and  saved.  This 
spirit  was  what  inspired  the  intelligent  women  of  those  days  to  per- 
form a  work  of  remarkable  interest  in  developing  the  foreign  mis- 
sionary spirit  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  In  almost  every  public 
meeting,  in  Associations  and  Conventions,  the  highest  spiritual  pulse 
was  reached  in  the  women's  meetings.     This  was  not  simply  because 


20         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

foreign  missions  were  advocated,  except  as  they  show  the  larger  de- 
mands of  the  Christ  Hfe  and  the  greater  obHgation  resting  upon  the 
churches.  This  in  itself  stimulated  the  churches  and  Conventions 
to  build  up  strong  churches,  not  only  to  spread  the  gospel  over  our 
own  destitute  fields  but  through  all  the  world.  The  feeling  grew  that 
the  work  of  our  Lord  is  one,  whether  at  home  or  abroad,  in  church, 
State,  or  national  societies,  in  the  individual  life,  or  in  efforts  to  take 
in  the  whole  world  as  did  the  life  of  Christ  himself. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  PLAN  OF  CO-OPERATION 
1881 

First  year  under  co-operation.  Rapid  progress.  Transfer  of  missionaries.  Eight- 
een missionaries.  Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns.  Treasurer's  report.  Men  at  work.  Statistics. 
Important  table.     A   great   loss.      Vast   field.      Immense   resources.      Self-help. 

Under  the  plan  of  co-operation  with  the  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society  the  Convention  made  rapid  progress  during  the  first 
year.  All  missionaries  under  appointment  by  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society  were  transferred  to  the  Convention ;  and  all 
missionaries  under  the  Convention  were  transferred  to  the  Home 
Mission  Society,  and  received  appointment  under  the  plan  of  co- 
operation. At  the  close  of  the  first  year  there  were  under  appoint- 
ment eighteen  missionaries  who  had  served  all  or  part  of  the  year, 
and  appointments  were  recommended  for  three  other  fields.  Rev.  A. 
J.  Hunsaker,  who  had  been  appointed  the  previous  year  as  general 
missionary  and  financial  secretary,  reported  a  very  successful  year's 
work.  Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns,  who  was  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  suc- 
cessful missionaries  on  the  borders,  was  planting,  sowing,  organizing, 
and  developing  new  fields,  and  doing  a  work  that  must  weave  the 
remembrance  of  his  self-denying  efforts  into  the  structure  of  many 
churches  in  eastern  Oregon,  eastern  Washington,  and  western  Idaho. 
The  treasurer's  report  shows  $2,918.49  collected  during  the  year, 
an  increase  over  last  year's  receipts  of  $448.17.  There  was  cash 
on  hand  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  of  $711.81,  making  $3,630.38  for 
the  current  expenses  of  the  year. 

Of  the  missionaries  under  appointment  during  the  year,  two 
were  Sunday-school  colporter  missionaries  in  co-operation  with  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society ;  two  were  Chinese  mission- 
aries, Rev.  Dong  Gong  and  Rev.  Fung  Chak ;  and  there  was  one 
Scandinavian  general  missionary.  Rev.  O.  Okerson,  with  headquarters 
at  Portland;  Rev.  A.  D.  McMichael  was  serving  as  colporter  in 
eastern  Washington  and  Oregon,  and  northern  Idaho;  Rev.  B.  S.  Mc- 
Lafferty  represented  the  cause  of  foreign  missions  on  the  field,  and 
reported  as  raised  on  the  field  during  the  year  $400.  The  Woman's 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  reported  a  prosperous  year,  with  receipts 
of  $402.10.     Total  for  foreign  missions,  $802.10. 

The  following  summary  appears  in  the  Convention  minutes  of 
that  year: 

Number  of  Associations    9 

Churches    99 

Number  of  churches  contributing  to  home  mission  work 86 

Missionaries  under  appointment   19 

Total   membership   in   churches 3.486 

21 


2.2  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

The  following  table  shows  the  growth  of  the  work  until  this  date : 

Oct.,  1877,  to  Oct.,  1878,  collected $1,453.71 

Oct.,  1878,  to  Oct.,  1879,  collected 1,652.29  Advance,  $198.58 

Oct.,  1879,  to  Oct.,  1880,  collected 2,470.32  Advance,    818.03 

Oct.,  1880,  to  Oct.,  1881,  co-operation...  2,918.59  Advance,    448.17 

The  Mission  Board  reported,  with  profound  sorrow,  the  death 
of  one  of  the  most  esteemed  and  valuable  of  its  members,  namely,  Dea. 
A.  W.  Kinney.  He  had  been  a  member  of  the  Board,  and  its  treasurer 
from  the  beginning  of  the  work.  He  had  been  a  constant  attendant 
upon  its  meetings,  ready  with  his  wise  counsel  and  deep  piety  for 
all  emergencies,  and  often  helping  over  a  difficult  place  by  his  timely 
and  wise  gifts  and  efforts  to  relieve  the  treasury,  while  his  will  left 
two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  to  the  missionary  work  of  the 
Convention.  Brother  Kinney  fell  at  his  post  in  the  vigor  of  manhood, 
greatly  lamented  and  most  affectionately  cherished  in  the  memory  of 
us  all.  Mrs.  A.  W.  Kinney,  wife  of  our  deceased  brother,  whose 
heart  and  hand  always  shared  with  her  husband  in  the  work,  was 
elected  by  the  Board  to  fill  the  position  of  treasurer  made  vacant  by 
her  husband's  death. 

The  Board  closes  its  report  of  that  year  by  saying: 

Our  field  is  new.  It  is  on  the  borders.  It  has  vast  resources,  fast 
developing.  It  is  being  rapidly  filled  with  an  exceptional  class  of  immi- 
grants. It  has  an  area  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  square  miles, 
a  population  of  three  hundred  thousand,  with  room  and  undeveloped  re- 
sources to  accommodate  twenty-five  million  people.  Two  years  will  con- 
nect us  with  the  East  by  rail  direct.  With  direct  communication  by  rail, 
the  influx  of  population,  which  is  now  great,  will  be  simply  immense.  We 
are  living  in  times  of  marvelous  opportunity  and  responsibility.  To  act 
well  our  part,  to  develop  self-help,  to  meet  the  incoming  tide  of  popula- 
tion with  a  pure  Christianity  thoroughly  organized,  the  foundation  laid 
in  heavenly  wisdom  and  the  structure"  rising  from  the  same,  inspired  by 
the  full  and  unadulterated  teachings  of  the  word  of  God,  is  our  privilege 
and  mission. 


Rev.  A.  W.  Rider 


Rev.  B.  S.   MacLafferty,  D.   D. 


Rev.  James  Sunderland,  D.  D. 


CHAPTER  VI 

A  MEMORABLE  YEAR 
1882 

A  memorable  year.  Outgrowing  plans.  Superintendent  of  missions.  Rev.  J.  C. 
Baker.  Liberating  general  missions.  Scope  of  church  work  enlarging.  Marked  dis- 
content. Educational.  Church  edifice  work.  Colfax  Building  enlarged.  Self-help. 
No  debt.  Solicitors'  union.  Comprehensive  views.  Duty.  Four  objects.  Beacon  to 
the  rescue. 

The  year  1882  was  a  trying  one  for  the  Baptists  of  the  North  Pa- 
cific Coast.  If  ever  God's  people  settled  down  to  hard  work,  they  did 
it  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast  from  1877  to  1886,  and  the  year  1882  was 
no  exception,  but  probably  among  the  most  arduous  of  all,  requiring 
the  whole  force  at  work  with  one  heart  and  mind  to  meet  fast  accumu- 
lating responsibilities.  Under  the  plan  of  co-operation  with  the 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  the  work  had  grown  until 
the  society  found  it  necessary  to  have  a  representative  of  its  own  on 
the  field ;  and  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  who  had  served  as  president 
of  the  Mission  Board  and  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Convention 
since  1877,  was  appointed  superintendent  of  missions  for  the  Pacific 
Coast,  including  California,  Nevada,  Oregon,  Washington,  Idaho,  and 
British  Columbia.  His  appointment  had  been  sanctioned  by  the  Con- 
vention Boards  of  California  and  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  The 
Society  required  that  one-sixth  of  his  salary  and  expenses  should  be 
borne  by  each  of  the  Convention  Boards. 

The  Mission  Board  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  Convention  had 
found  it  necessary,  the  year  before,  to  place  part  of  the  financial 
responsibility  upon  the  general  missionaries ;  but  now,  with  the  con- 
sent of  the  New  York  Board,  they  made  the  superintendent  of  missions 
financial  and  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Convention  Board,  thus 
giving  the  general  missionary  liberty  to  devote  his  whole  time  to 
the  field  in  strictly  mission  work.  This  involved  such  a  radical  change 
of  operating  forces,  and  apparently  such  an  additional  expense  in  col- 
lecting funds  for  the  work,  that  it  required  careful  and  prayerful  con- 
sideration by  the  brethren  and  churches.  They  considered  it,  and 
with  one  consent  fell  into  line  and  gave  it  their  hearty  support.  One 
fortunate  thing  about  those  days  was  the  fact  that  the  mission  work 
was  so  conducted  that  every  pastor  and  every  church  alike,  whether 
mission  church  or  self-supporting,  had  both  an  interest  in  all  ad- 
vance movements  of  the  Convention  and  a  voice  in  determining  them. 
Thus  the  whole  body  moved  together  in  this  new  departure  and 
gladly  met  its  requirements. 

Then  too  the  churches  and  the  denomination  were  growing  very 
rapidly.    New  church  edifices  were  being  erected.    Collections  for  all 


24         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

the  benevolences  of  the  times  were  being  taken.  These  calls  for 
money,  added  to  the  growing  expenses  of  church  life,  began  to  make 
an  impression  upon  the  per  cent  of  income  for  any  given  department 
of  missionary  effort.  There  appeared  to  be  in  western  Washington 
also  a  marked  discontent,  growing  out  of  a  faction  favoring  independ- 
ent work,  which  was  a  source  of  much  anxiety  to  the  Board  during 
the  year;  and  yet  the  Board  began  the  record  of  the  year  with  the 
exclamation :  "  Behold  what  the  Lord  hath  wrought !  "  and  there  was 
much  to  call  forth  such  an  exclamation.  The  field  had  yielded  $3,135.60 
for  home  missions ;  and  this,  added  to  a  balance  brought  over  from  the 
former  year,  gave  $3,779.13  for  that  work  from  the  Convention  field. 
To  this  sum  the  Home  Mission  Society  added  $5,000,  making  a  total 
of  $8,779.13  available  for  missionary  work  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast. 
Meantime  the  Women's  Foreign  Mission  Society  had  gathered  from 
the  field  $495. 

The  McMinnville  College  building  was  approaching  completion 
at  a  cost  of  $25,000,  most  of  which  had  been  paid  in  the  course  of  the 
current  Convention  year.  Colfax  Academy,  founded  by  that  prince  of 
pioneer  missionaries.  Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns,  had  outgrown  its  quarters 
in  the  Baptist  church  where  it  had  had  its  home  from  its  birth.  Under 
the  direction  of  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven,  another  missionary  of  the  Con- 
vention, an  addition  to  the  church  was  built  with  room  for  a  hun- 
dred students.  He  also  finished  and  furnished  the  church.  These  im- 
provements were  made  at  a  cost  of  $2,265,  which  was  all  paid, 
the  Home  Mission  Society  assisting  on  the  church  building  with 
$500.  Rev.  O.  Okerson,  missionary  among  the  Scandinavian  popula- 
tion, procured  lots  and  built  a  house  of  worship  in  Seattle  at  a  cost 
of  $2,200,  the  Convention  obtaining  the  last  $500  from  the  Home 
Mission  Society.  Mr.  Okerson  also  built  a  meeting-house  at  Tacoma 
at  a  cost  of  $1,200,  to  complete  the  payment  for  which  the  Board  ob- 
tained $300  from  the  Society.  Churches  were  afterward  organized  to 
occupy  these  buildings.  The  money  raised  for  home  mission  work 
came  from  the  following  sources :  from  eastern  Washington  and 
northern  Idaho,  $334.50;  from  western  Washington,  $119.75;  from 
British  Columbia,  $26.75  '>  frorn  Oregon,  $2,654.60 ;  making  a  total  of 
$3,135.60.  Truly  this  was  a  marvelous  showing  for  these  trying 
times,  that  so  much  could  be  accomplished  with  a  membership  aggre- 
gating but  four  thousand  and  scarcely  any  of  these  with  means,  except 
the  accumulations  of  each  year;  but  the  men  and  women  who  were 
leading  this  work  had  a  steadfast  purpose,  a  comprehensive  view  of 
the  field  occupied,  and  a  wise  forecast  in  planning,  as  will  be  seen  in 
the  following  extract  from  the  report  of  the  Board  of  this  date:  "To 
develop  self-help  and  incur  no  debt,  and  to  lay  a  foundation  which 
should  include  all  departments  of  Christ's  work,  which  had  been  the 
purpose  in  1877,  had  apparently  been  intelligently  intensified  in  1882." 

A  marked  feature  in  the  work  of  the  Convention  for  the  year 
was   what   micrht   be   termed    a   "  solicitors'   union."     It   consisted   in 


A    MEMORABLE   YEAR  25 

appointing  solicitors  at  first  in  each  of  the  Associations  to  collect 
funds  for  mission  work,  and  in  each  church  to  solicit  for  the  Baptist 
Beacon.  The  plan  was  so  useful  that  it  soon  came  into  use  In  each 
church  appointing  their  solicitor,  who  was  selected  with  reference  to 
appointed  at  the  associational  meetings,  the  delegates  from  each 
church  appointing  their  solicitor,  who  was  selected  with  reference  to 
knowledge  of  the  work  and  interest  in  it.  These  solicitors  were  no 
small  factor  in  developing  self-help.  Often,  in  general  gatherings, 
they  came  together  to  compare  notes,  to  consult  upon  methods,  and 
to  pray  with  each  other,  and  they  were  considered  an  indispensable 
agency  in  unifying  the  work.  They  served  to  keep  many  individuals 
and  churches  in  line  with  the  work,  a  thing  very  much  needed  in 
those  earlier  days. 

The  year  1882  was  also  a  memorable  year  for  the  Convention 
of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  in  several  other  respects:  First,  as  already 
indicated,  on  account  of  the  rapid  development  of  the  country.  We 
quote  from  the  report  of  the  Mission  Board  of  that  year  to  show 
how  comprehensive  was  its  view  of  the  field  it  was  occupying,  and 
also  to  show  the  intense  pressure  under  which  it  was  laboring: 

In  presenting  this,  our  fifth  annual  report,  we  can  only  make  a  brief 
survey  of  the  field  which  the  dear  Lord  has  given  us  to  occupy. 

We  speak  first  of  the  field  itself.  Our  field  embraces  Oregon,  Washing- 
ton Territory,  northwestern  Idaho,  and  part  of  British  Columbia.  In 
area,  it  is  equal  to  all  the  New  England  and  Middle  States  combined ;  and 
never,  we  believe,  in  the  history  of  these  States,  was  there  a  more  imper- 
ative demand  for  home  mission  work  or  a  more  hopeful  field  to  occupy, 
than  that  which  God  has  given  to  us  on  this  North  Pacific  Coast.  Our 
field  is  capable  of  sustaining  as  dense  a  population  as  any  of  the  New 
England  States. 

Its  mineral  and  agricultural  resources  and  climate  invite  settlers  as  the 
New  England  and  Middle  States  never  did.  In  one  respect  the  States 
named  had  the  advantage  of  us,  namely :  They  had  the  commerce  of  the 
Old  World  by  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  This  has  aided  them  in  building  up 
large  cities  and  manufacturing  towns ;  and  made  them  centers  of  commer- 
cial life  and  immense  capital,  of  which  we  are  all  proud,  and  from  which 
we  would  subtract  not  a  dollar,  nor  withhold  the  credit  due  to  "  our 
fathers "  for  their  wise  forecast  and  enterprise  in  building  up  such 
monuments  to  their  praise. 

But  we  present  for  the  prayerful  consideration  of  Christian  people  the 
fact  that  our  country  is  peculiarly  situated  as  regards  the  commerce  of 
the  world.  If  its  eastern  shores  are  bathed  with  the  waters  of  the 
Atlantic,  which  is  dotted  with  sails  of  vessels  and  clouded  with  smoke 
of  steamers  freighted  with  the  commerce  of  Europe  and  .Africa  in  natural 
channels,  so  its  western  shores  are  bathed  with  the  waters  of  the  Pacific, 
which  begins  to  be  dotted  with  sails  of  vessels  and  clouded  with  the  smoke 
of  steamers  freighted  with  the  commerce  of  Asia  and  Australia ;  in 
natural  channels  so  rapidly  growing  that  we  may  anticipate  the  time  when 
the  commerce  of  the  Pacific  will  bear  a  favorable  comparison  with  that 
of  the  Atlantic,  and  when  large  cities  and  manufacturing  towns  shall  dpt 
the  Pacific,  as  they  do  now  the  Atlantic  slope.  We  believe  this  is  inevit- 
able if  the  world  and  the  United  States  continue  as  now  expected.  North 
America  is  inviting  the  world  to  make  homes  upon  her  domain,  and  the 
people    are   coming — coming!     The    march    is   westward    by    the   tens    of 


26  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

thousands ;  they  are  reaching  our  borders,  and  the  volume  is  constantly 
increasing,  and  will  be  marvelous  when  we  have  railroad  communication 
with  the  East.  Nor  will  it  stop  until  every  valley  and  foothill  in  our 
most  inviting  country  is  settled  and  developed  to  the  full  extent  of  its 
capacity. 

Now,  if  this  ideal  is  to  be  realized  in  the  future,  what  is  the  dut)'' 
of  Christian  men  and  women  whom  God  has  placed  upon  this  great 
field?  Evidently  they  go  before  as  the  messengers  of  God,  to  pre- 
pare the  way  for  the  reign  of  his  Son,  and  their  duty  is  as  plain 
as  the  hands  upon  a  dial  plate: 

First.  To  establish  and  sustain  churches  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
the  centers  of  population,  where  the  people  are  to  be,  and  where  ever- 
more the  faithful  ministers  of  the  Lord  Jesus  are  to  be  found  as  teachers 
and  preachers  of  the  blessed  gospel,  where  the  people,  men,  women,  and 
children,  are  to  be  gathered  together  to  hear  and  learn  to  obey  the  word 
of  God  as  long  as  they  live  in  this  land  of  freedom  and  plenty,  where 
the  Lord  their  God  has  placed  them. 

Secondly.  To  build  houses  of  worship  whose  spires  shall  point  the 
people  heavenward,  whose  bells  shall  lure  the  people  churchward,  and 
whose  ministers  shall  call  the  people  Godward,  whose  walls  shall  stand  as 
monuments  of  the  foresight  of  God's  people  in  laying  the  foundation  of 
our  future  greatness  upon  principles  of  eternal  truth. 

Thirdly.  To  send  out  and  support  evangelists  and  itinerant  mission- 
aries to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  destitute  and  thereby  win  the  masses 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour. 

Fourthly.  To  foster  and  aid  the  work  of  Christian  education  for  the 
young,  but  especially  where  our  young  men  can  prepare  to  preach  the 
gospel. 

This,  brethren,  is  the  work  we  are  trying  to  do  on  this  field,  and 
of  which  we  bring  you  this,  our  report. 

Secondly.  The  year  1882  was  memorable  and  important  because 
the  Convention  sent  a  representative  to  the  jubilee  meeting  of  the 
Home  Mission  Society,  held  at  New  York  in  May  of  this  year.  The 
representative  w^as  appointed  by  the  Convention  at  its  previous  annual 
meeting.  Rev.  C.  H.  Mattoon,  in  his  "  Baptist  Annals  of  Oregon,"  pp. 
33,  34,  gives  the  following  as  the  special  things  that  the  representative 
had  in  mind  in  visiting  the  jubilee  meetin,<;-s : 

First,  a  plan  by  which  the  Convention  might  be  able  to  purchase 
lots  on  which  to  build  cliurches  and  parsonages  in  the  new  important  towns 
which  are  rapidly  growing  up  along  our  railways.  Secondly,  to  augment, 
if  possible,  our  present  provision  for  aid  to  build  houses  of  worship  and 
parsonages.  Thirdly,  to  open  the  way  for  the  transportation  of  men  to 
the  new  field.  Fourthly,  at  the  earliest  possible  date  to  open  the  way 
to  occupy  with  strong  men  all  the  strategic  points  on  this  great  field.  He 
had  not  in  mind  any  effort  to  raise  money,  but  rather  to  bring  the  field 
and  work  before  the  societies  and  the  prominent  brethren,  and  to  lay  such 
plans  as  would  speedily  reach  the  four  things  proposed. 

The  following  is  the  report  of  the  representative  to  the  Con- 
vention, at  its  annual  meeting  held  in  McMinnville  in  October,  1882, 
which  was  published  in  the  minutes  of  that  year: 


A    MEMORABLE   YEAR  2^ 

REPORT  OF  DELEGATE   TO  JUBILEE   MEETINGS 

To  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast: 

Your  delegate,  appointed  to  attend  the  May  meeting  in  New  York  and 
represent  the  work  of  our  Convention,  would  most  respectfully  submit  the 
following  report : 

1.  Your  representative  agreed  with  your  committee,  appointed  to  raise 
the  funds  to  defray  the  expense  of  the  journey,  to  make  the  trip,  if  the 
committee  would  provide  $300.  This  the  committee  provided,  and  the 
journey  of  about  nine  thousand  miles  was  made  at  an  expense  of  nearly 
$400.  The  remaining  $100  having  been  provided  from  lectures  in  different 
States  and  supply  of  churches  as  opportunity  offered. 

2.  Your  representative  delivered  lectures  upon  "  The  great  Northwest 
as  a  held  for  ministerial  and  missionary  effort,"  in  different  places  in  the 
States  of  New  York,  Michigan,  Illinois,  and  Iowa.  The  most  prominent 
among  the  places  where  lectures  were  delivered  should  be  named :  Morgan 
Park,  Chicago,  111,  before  the  students  of  our  Theological  Seminary,  also 
before  the  students  of  Rochester  Theological  Seminary,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 
The  subject  treated  at  these  places  was  "The  great  Northwest  as  a  field 
for  ministerial  effort."  A  deep  interest  was  awakened  in  both  these 
schools,  among  both  professors  and  students,  in  our  field  and  work,  both 
missionary  and  educational.  We  believe  it  is  not  too  much  to  expect  that 
our  visit  to  these  schools  will  result  in  permanent  interest  in  this  great 
country,  and  the  settlement  of  some  of  their  best  students  upon  our  field 
in  the  coming  years.  In  New  York  before  the  Jubilee  meetings  of  the 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  and  before  the  American  Baptist 
Publication  Society,  your  representative  was  most  cordially  received,  and 
before  the  Home  Mission  Society  was  asked  by  unanimous  voice  of  the 
crowded  house  to  return  to  the  platform  and  continue  his  address  after 
the  time  allotted  had  expired  and  your  representative  had  gone  to  his  seat. 
The  occasion  of  this  was  doubtless  the  fact  that  this  great  and  important 
and  promising  field  was  never  before  represented  in  the  meetings  of  the 
society,  and  the  further  reason  that  the  facts  stated  by  your  representative, 
touching  the  material  resources,  climate,  mission  work,  and  educational 
interests,  with  the  probabilities  before  this  great  and  rapidly  growing 
country,  were  both  new  and  marvelous. 

The  apparent  result  of  the  visit  of  your  representative  at  these  meetings 
was  the  assurance  of  the  representatives  of  both  societies,  and  of  many 
prominent  laymen,  of  an  interest  in  our  field  and  purpose  to  help  our 
work,  never  before  experienced  by  them.  This,  we  feel  confident,  is  true 
as  touching  our  educational  and  mission  work. 

In  other  places  and  States  where  your  representative  spoke  of  this 
great  field  and  its  resources,  of  its  superior  advantages,  inviting  immigra- 
tion and  settlement,  of  its  superior  climate  and  healthfulness,  the  greatest 
interest  was  manifested;  and  it  would  not  be  exaggeration  to  say  that 
hundreds  of  persons  were  put  on  the  track  of  such  information  as  they 
desired  regarding  this  country  to  which  they  expressed  a  purpose  to 
emigrate  sooner  or  later. 

Your  representative  is  not  forgetful  of  the  great  privilege  your  ap- 
pointment offered  him  to  renew  old  acquaintances  in  the  East  and  make 
new  ones,  as  well,  to  visit  friends  and  see  something  of  the  growth 
and  development  of  the  East,  to  come  in  contact  with  leading  spirits  in  our 
denominational  life  and  work. 

He  hopes  also  that  his  going  may  have  resulted  in  strengthening  the 
ties  of  Christian  love  and  interest  that  bind  us  together  as  one  common 
brotherhood  in  our  common  work  under  the  one  head,  Jesus  Christ  our 

Respectfully  submitted, 

J.  C.  Baker. 


28         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Thirdly,  this  year  was  marked  by  the  missions  outgrowing  the  old 
plans  and  methods  of  operating.  This  was  recognized  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  New  York  Board,  and  they  decided  from  their  viewpoint 
that  it  was  necessary  to  have  a  representative  of  their  own  on  the 
Pacific  Coast;  they  offered  the  position  of  superintendent  of  missions 
for  the  Pacific  Coast  to  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  who  finally  accepted,  resign- 
ing his  pastorate  in  Salem,  Ore.,  and  taking  up  the  work  in  July,  1882, 
after  the  Mission  Boards  of  the  Conventions  of  the  Xorth  Pacific  Coast 
and  of  California  had  approved  the  appointment.  This  provided  both 
for  a  change  of  methods,  and  rendered  it  necessary  for  the  enlarge- 
ment of  the  work.  The  change  was  made  in  the  Northern  Convention 
Board  by  appointing  the  superintendent  of  missions  corresponding  and 
financial  secretary  of  the  Board,  thus  leaving  the  general  missionary 
to  pursue  the  work  of  evangelism. 

Fourthly,  the  year  was  memorable  as  a  year  of  threatened  dis- 
aster to  the  Convention  finances.  This  grew  out  of  a  false  impres- 
sion given  the  editor  of  the  Herald  of  Truth,  in  California,  who 
visited  the  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  as  a  fraternal 
delegate  from  California.  Recognizing  the  great  advance  the  Con- 
vention of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  had  made  in  raising  funds  to  sup- 
port its  missionaries,  he  said  in  the  Herald  of  Truth  that  the  Con- 
vention Board  required  of  the  missionaries  aided  by  the  Board  to 
raise  the  pro  rata  required  by  the  Home  Mission  Society  from  their 
churches.  This  had  a  very  serious  eft'ect  upon  our  finances,  as  it  was 
sent  to  many  of  the  principal  churches  and  brethren  on  the  North 
Pacific  Coast,  and  also  to  New  York,  and  was  quoted  in  Eastern 
papers.  It  was,  however,  largely  counteracted  by  the  following  state- 
ment, published  in  the  Baptist  Beacon,  which  was  marked  and  sent 
to  all  sources  whence  it  was  thought  any  harm  could  possibly  come  to 
cripple  the  financial  work  of  the  Convention.  That  Doctor  Abbott 
designed  this  to  injure  the  work  of  the  Board  cannot  be  believed, 
and  yet  he  had  ample  opportunity  to  learn  the  truth : 

"visit  to  the  northwest" 

(Baptist  Beacon,  January,   1883.     J-   C.   Baker,  Editor.) 

The  editor  of  the  Herald  of  Truth  made  some  strange  discoveries 
during  his  late  visit  to  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  and  has  "placed  himself  on 
record "  as  an  eminent  explorer  into  the  mysteries  of  this  remarkable 
country.  In  his  article  headed,  "Visit  to  the  Northwest,"  in  the  Herald 
of  Truth  of  November  15,  after  saying  many  good  things  of  our  country 
and  people,  he  makes  discovery 

No.  I.  Namely,  That  the  Baptist  Convention  field  of  the  North  Pacific 
Coast   is  too   large   for   effective   work   with   all   sections.     He   says: 

"One  question  moreover,  whether  the  North  Pacific  Coast  Conven- 
tion does  not  spread  over  too  much  country  for  effective  denominational 
propagandism  with  just  fidelity  to  all  sections.  Nine  hundred  and  fifty- 
nine  thousand  nine  hundred  and  thirty  square  miles  is  the  area  to  which  it 
is  a  base  of  supplies.     Oregon,  Washington  Territory',  Idaho,  and  British 


A    MEMORABLE    YEAR  29 

Columbia  are  no  small  part  of  our  continent.     The  full  shore  line  itself 
of  this  land  surface  is  ten  thousand  two  hundred  and  four  miles." 

Whether  the  effort  at  "  denominational  propagandism  "  by  "  The  Bap- 
tist Convention  for  the  North  Pacific  Coast "  has  been  effective  or  not, 
let  the  facts  speak.    When  we  organized  our  Convention  under  its  present 
constitution,  in  June,  1877,  we  had  on  this  field  about  seventy-five  churches 
and  three  thousand  members ;  now  we  have  over  one  hundred  churches 
and  over  four  thousand  members.     Then  we  had  no  Baptist  paper  pub- 
lished on  this  great  field ;  now  we  have  one  taken  by  most  of  our  families. 
Then  we  had  no  academy;  now  we  have  one  flourishing  academy,  with 
a  good  building  paid  for,  and  over  ninety  pupils  enrolled  last  term.    Then 
we  had  a  dilapidated  old  college  building,  with  the  school  run  down  and 
its  patrons  discouraged;  now  we  are  just  completing  one  of  the  finest  and 
most  commodious  buildings  in  the  State,  at  a  cost  of  over  twenty-three 
thousand  dollars,  with  provision  made   for  the  full  payment  of  its  con- 
struction.   Then  we  had  pastors  settled  in  five  county  seats ;  now  we  have 
twelve.    Then  we  had  six  men  giving  their  undivided  time  to  the  ministry ; 
now  we  have  twenty-five.     During  the  same  time  we  have  built,  or  have 
in  process  of  building  and  nearly  completed,  thirteen  houses  of  worship. 
Then  we  had  only  two  missionaries,  and  they,   supported  by  the   Home 
Mission    Society;   now  we  have  eighteen,  and  the   Convention  pays  one- 
third   of  the   whole   expense,   besides   aiding  the    Publication    Society   in 
supporting  a  Sunday-school  missionary  and  colporter.     Then  but  three  at 
farthest    of    our    churches    were   paying    to    home    missions ;    now    nearly 
ninety  are  represented  in  the  yearly  report  of  our  treasurer,  in  the  sum 
of  nearly    four  thousand   dollars.     Then   there   were   only  two   or   three 
churches  paying  yearly  to  foreign  missions ;   now  there   are  nearly  fifty 
represented  in  the  yearly  offerings.     Then  we  were  doing  almost  nothing 
for   missions ;   the   last   year   we   paid   over   $4,500   to   home   and   foreign 
missions ;  now  we   submit,  that,  while  this  showing  is  not  all  we  could 
desire,  or  all  that  is  needed,  still  it  is  effectual  "  denominational  propa- 
gandism.'' 

No.  2.  The  next  "  discovery "  the  editor  of  the  Herald  makes,  is 
that  the  "  centralization  of  power  "  in  the  Willamette  Valley  is  dangerous 
to  Washington  Territory.    Here  is  what  he  says : 

"  Puget  Sound  puts  in  a  claim  which  it  feels  oftentimes  is  not  heard ; 
but,  for  absorption  in  the  Convention,  agreeable  as  it  is,  it  maintains  that 
western  as  well  as  eastern  Washington  would  be  aided  more  liberally, 
irrespective  of  plans  of  co-operation  by  the  Board  in  New  York.  Its  relative 
weakness  in  church  life  does  not  satisfy  it  that  the  country  that  is  to  be  a 
terminus  to  the  Northern  Pacific  or  Canadian  Railroad  lines,  humming  with 
the  commerce  of  centuries  ahead,  should  be  so  sadly  unoccupied  with 
home  missionary  work.  Willamette  Valley,  sure  to  be  the  center  of  affairs 
as  now,  for  a  long  time  with  Portland's  preeminence,  replies  that 
eastern  Oregon  at  least  has  had  large  appropriations  from  New  York. 
But  this  does  not  satisfy  Puget  Sound." 

All  this  I  and  yet  eight  of  the  meeting-houses  built  are  in  Washington 
Territory,  three  on  Puget  Sound,  and  five  in  eastern  Washington,  and  of 
the  amount  appropriated  to  the  North  Pacific  Coast  for  building  purposes 
by  the  Home  Mission  Society,  under  direction  of  our  Board.  $2,450  has 
been  appropriated  to  six  of  these  churches,  and  six  hundred  dollars 
loaned  to  two  of  them,  and  every  one  of  them  aided  save  one,  all  by  the 
hearty  recommendation  of  the  Mission  Board  of  the  Convention ;  while  a 
single  donation  of  five  hundred  dollars  is  the  sum  total  paid  to  Oregon 
churches  from  the  same  source.  In  the  support  of  missionaries  also, 
Washington  has  by  far  the  preeminence.  Not  counting  our  general  mis- 
sionaries, who  belong  to  all  parts  of  the  field  alike,  we  have  the  following 


30  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

under  appointment  for  Washington  Territory,  including  Scandinavian  mis- 
sionary for  Seattle,  six  missionaries,  with  an  appropriation  of  $2,700;  one 
in  British  Columbia  at  four  hundred  dollars;  two  in  Idaho,  at  nine  hundred 
dollars,  making  a  total  appropriated  outside  of  Oregon  of  four  thousand 
dollars.  In  Oregon  we  have  now  seven  men  under  appointment,  to 
whom  there  is  appropriated  $2,600,  and  this  too  while  the  large  per  cent 
of  our  pro  rata  of  the  money  has  been  raised  in  the  Willamette  Valley. 
The  ratio  of  appropriations  now  does  not  vary  greatly  from  what  it 
has  always  been.  Certainly  the  Board,  which  it  has  been  necessary  to 
locate  in  the  Willamette  Valley  for  effective  service,  has  not  been  partial 
to  Oregon,  and  the  strong  probability  is  that  Washington  Territory  has 
not  suffered  by  the  "  plan  of  co-operation."  "  Puget  Sound  "  has  never 
asked  but  one  appropriation  from  the  Board  of  the  Convention,  but  has 
been  granted  readily,  when  the  men  could  be  had  for  the  field. 

No.  3.  The  third  and  last  "  discovery  "  of  which  we  make  mention  is, 
that  our  contributions  to  missionary  work  have  been  in  part  "  illegitimate," 
that  we  have  "  assessed  "  the  churches  seeking  appropriations  "  contingent 
upon  a  return  of  two  dollars  for  one  "  from  "  New  York." 

"  The  North  Pacific  Coast  Convention  is  reported  to  have  raised  per 
annum  three  thousand  dollars.  This,  plus  six  thousand  dollars  on  the 
basis  of  co-operation,  has  made  nine  thousand  dollars  possible  to  be 
drawn  from  the  treasury  in  New  York.  How  has  this  been  done?  Has 
it  uniformly  been  by  legitimate  contributions  of  the  churches,  or  by 
assessments  of  one  for  every  two  dollars  desired  by  the  churches  seeking 
appropriations  for  missionary  service?  In  some  instances,  our  informant 
says;  we  know  not  in  how  many.  It  is  a  way,  nevertheless,  to  be  depre- 
cated, and  never  applied,  in  our  knowledge,  in  California.  We  doubt  if 
this  is  the  plan  of  co-operation  contemplated  by  the  Home  Mission  Board 
in  New  York.  The  development  of  the  spirit  of  home  missions  is  one 
thing,  and  its  showing  of  benevolent  contributions  is  matter  for  laudable 
emulation.  Benevolence  by  church  assessments,  contingent  upon  a  re- 
turn of  two  dollars  for  one,  appears  to  us  to  be  another  thing,  and  at 
best  a  premium  on  self-interest  on  the  part  of  missionaries  and  churches 
alike.  Drafts  on  New  York  might  be  unlimited  by  levying  one-third  of 
the  amount  drawn,  on  the  churches." 

In  reply  to  this,  it  is  sufficient  to  say :  First,  there  has  never  been  an 
"  assessment  of  one  to  two  "  made  upon  one  of  our  mission  churches,  nor 
any  other  amount.  The  Home  Mission  Society  as  well  as  our  Mission 
Board  require  our  mission  churches  to  take  collections  for  mission  work. 
This  is  the  extent  of  requirements  in  this  particular.  Secondly,  the 
fact  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  money  has  been  raised  in  the  Willam 
ette  Valley  where  the  least  amount  has  been  expended  is  an  evidence  that 
our  contributions  are  legitimate.  Thirdly,  the  fact  that  the  first  three 
years  of  our  work  was  prosecuted  independent  of  the  Home  Mission 
Society,  and  that  our  contributions  had  increased  from  nothing  to  $2,400, 
and  that  the  ratio  of  increase  has  not  been  so  large  since  we  entered  into 
co-operation  as  before,  though  steadily  increasing,  is  an  evidence  that  no 
"  illegitimate "  means  is  being  used  under  the  present  co-operation  to 
obtain  money.  Fourthly,  the  fact  that  almost  all  of  our  churches  on  this 
great  field  are  contributing  to  this  work,  and  very  many  of  them  to  the 
full  extent  of  their  ability  is  an  evidence,  not  only  that  our  contributions 
are  legitimate,  but  generous  and  commendable  from  every  point  of  observa- 
tion. We  submit  that  portions  of  the  article  referred  to  should  be  re- 
tracted, and  so  the  great  injury  done  our  work  in  the  great  Northwest 
ameliorated  as  far  as  possible,  and  we  modestly  suggest  that  the  Herald 
of  Truth  hereafter  seek  information  from  reliable  sources. 


CHAPTER  VII 

A  NEW  ERA  IN  THE  NORTHWEST 
1883 

Northern  Pacific  Railway  opened.  Initial  action.  Marks  an  era  in  Christian  effort. 
One  field.  One  work.  Problem  of  separate  Conventions.  The  broad  field.  Timely- 
appeal.  How  difficulties  were  overcome.  Historical  statement.  Three  years  in- 
dependent. Three  years  co-operating  with  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society. 
Marvelous  record.     Outgrowing.     Agencies.     Forecast. 

The  year  following  the  opening  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railway, 
namely,  1883,  seems  to  have  been  the  most  important  year  of  organ- 
ized work  among  Baptists  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  Extensive 
quotations  are  given  from  the  Baptist  Beacon  and  the  minutes  of 
that  year  because  it  was  a  crucial  period  in  the  history  of  the  field 
covered  by  this  Convention.  The  initial  ofificial  action  for  the  year 
was  taken  at  the  April  meeting  of  the  Convention  Board. 

Editorial  from  the  Baptist  Beacon  for  September,  1883,  Rev.  J. 
C.  Baker,  editor : 

COMPLETION    OF   THE   "NORTHERN    PACIFIC" 

Soon  after  this  issue  of  our  paper  reaches  our  subscribers  (Sept. 
8),  the  formal  opening  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railway  will  have 
taken  place,  under  direction  of  Hon.  Henry  Villard,  with  fully  four 
hundred  and  fifty  guests,  prominent  men  and  capitalists  of  our  own 
country  and  of  England  and  Germany.  This  marks  an  era  in  our  coun- 
try, but  especially  upon  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  Already  we  begin  to 
feel  the  influence  of  the  connection  with  the  East  in  all  commercial 
and  business  pursuits.  We  really  feel  as  if  we  are  a  part  of  a  great 
country,  and  united  by  the  closest  business  ties.  We  feel  no  longer 
isolated,  or  small,  or  dependent — so  really  it  puts  us  into  the  great 
whole  and  makes  us  contributors  to  its  growth.  We  rejoice  in  this,  and 
are  proud  of  the  day  which  to  us  is  little  less  than  the  opening  of  the 
Central  Pacific  was  to  California,  fourteen  years  ago.  It  is  now  for  us  to 
prove  ourselves  capable  of  appreciating  and  using  the  new  forces  put  into 
our  hands  and  worthy  of  the  strategic  position  we  hold  in  our  great 
country. 

No  less  does  this  mark  an  era  in  Christian  work  and  denominational 
effort.  Everything  will  be  changed.  Wider  and  more  comprehensive  plans 
must  be  laid  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  our  mission  work.  If  ever  in  our 
history  we  needed  wise  forecast,  it  is  now.  At  our  coming  Convention  in 
October  we  must  settle  some  important  questions,  forced  upon  us  by  the 
new  impetus  given  to  immigration  and  business,  and  the  settlement  of  this 
new  country  by  the  completion  of  this  great  enterprise.  Among  these 
questions  are  the  following : 

First,  and  most  important.  Whether  we  can  rise  above  every  com- 
mercial jealousy  fostered  in  different  sections  of  this  large  field  covered 
by  our  Convention,  and,  filled  with  a  high  and  Christlike  aim,  regard  the 
work  on  every  part  of  the  field  as  one,  and  so  carry  it  forward. 

Secondly.  Whether  we  can  rise  above  every  personal  feeling  and 
prejudice  and  lay  our  best  self  upon  the  altar  of  God  to  accomplish  his 
purposes,  waiting  for  our  reward  until  he  savs,  "  Well  done." 

31 


32  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Thirdly.  Whether  we  shall  preserve  the  unity  of  our  people  on  the 
upper  coast  and  so  cement  ourselves  to  the  great  denominational  heart  of 
the  Baptists  of  the  East  that  they,  through  the  Home  Mission  Society, 
will  continue  their  generous  help  and  fostering  care  of  our  mission  work, 
and  so  help  us  to  become  firmly  compacted  together  with  the  great 
body. 

These  are  the  questions  at  issue,  and  they  will  require  our  best  wisdom 
and  forbearance  and  sacrifice.  The  rights,  interest,  and  importance  of 
every  part  of  the  great  field  are  to  be  recognized  and  cared  for  as  one 
field  by  a  common  brotherhood.  Our  paper  is  to  be  sustained,  our  schools 
reared  up  to  flourishing  institutions  of  learning,  and  the  unity  of  our 
people  preserved  and  held  for  every  one,  and  every  branch  of  our  work, 
so  that  the  remotest  part  will  have  the  power  of  the  whole  behind  it;  not 
only  now,  when  one  Convention  covers  the  whole  territory,  but  also  when 
the  time  comes  for  a  division  of  the  field  into  separate  Conventions. 
This  time  will  come.  In  the  judgment  of  some  brethren  it  has  already 
come;  in  the  judgment  of  others  it  has  not.  This  is  a  subject  upon  which 
there  is  room  for  great  difference  of  opinion,  to  which  every  one  has  an 
unquestioned  right,  and  the  opinion  of  every  one  should  be  candidly  ex- 
amined. Whether  the  Convention  shall  continue  as  now,  with  the 
"  North  Pacific  Coast "  as  its  field,  or  whether  it  should  be  divided,  will 
need  our  prayerful  consideration  at  the  Convention.  All  these  issues  are 
before  us,  and  the  responsibility  upon  us,  and  it  remains  to  be  seen 
whether  we  are  equal  to  the  occasion  and  have  grace  enough  to  plan  for 
the  whole  field  the  best  things. 

For  ourselves,  we  think  that  our  plans  of  work  could  be  so  modified 
as  to  meet  the  requirements  of  each  district  and  secure  their  highest  de- 
velopment for  at  least  three  years  longer,  fixing  the  time  when  we  would 
come  together  from  all  parts  of  the  field  to  close  up  our  Convention  work 
preparatory  to  organizing  separate  Conventions,  and  all  in  such  a  brotherly 
way  as  to  give  to  each  of  the  new  Conventions  the  most  hearty  and 
powerful  sympathy  and  support  of  every  other — a  state  of  things  pre- 
eminently desirable.  God  has  greatly  prospered  us  in  our  unity;  may  we 
not  forfeit  his  blessing  upon  our  whole  work  by  any  readjustment  of  the 
future. 

We  believe  that  on  this  North  Pacific  Coast  we  shall  do  ourselves,  as 
Baptists,  great  injustice  if  we  do  not  take  into  our  thought,  and  heart,  and 
prayers,  and  contributions,  this  wider  field  for  Christian  effort,  and  that 
we  shall  dry  up  our  resources  and  dwarf  our  denomination  by  confining 
our  thought  and  effort  to  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  God  calls  for  a  wider 
area  for  a  regenerated  heart,  a  broader  field  for  its  operations,  than  its 
own  home  and  immediate  surroundings.  Yea,  as  great  as  the  heart  of 
Christ  compasseth,  so  the  heart  that  is  in  Christ  should  feel  that  "  the 
field  is  the  world."  Unto  such  a  work  as  is  outlined  here,  dear  brethren, 
are  we  called  on  this  upper  coast. 

Prior  to  the  annual  session  of  the  Convention  in  1883,  the  editor 
of  the  Baptist  Beacon,  who  was  also  the  superintendent  of  missions, 
issued  the  following  appeal : 

From  the  Baptist  Beacon  for  October,  1883. 

THE    WORK   OF   YEARS 

One  of  the  most  important  reports  ever  made  to  our  Convention 
will  be  made  by  the  Mission  Board  this  month  at  the  annual  meeting  at 
Brownsville.  It  will  contain  a  review  of  the  work  from  the  beginning  of 
our  Convention,  its  present  condition,  and  its  plans  for  the  future.  It  is 
to  these  last  we  desire  to  call  the  attention  of  our  people  in  this  article. 


A    NEW    ERA    IN    THE    NORTHWEST  33 

Methods  of  work  are  fair  subjects  for  discussion.  It  would  be  strange, 
indeed,  if  upon  all  this  great  field  we  should  not  have  differences  of 
opinion  concerning  plans  and  methods  of  work,  both  for  the  present  and 
for  the  future.  Nor  should  there  be  any  abridgement  of  the  right  of 
discussing  plans  in  open  Convention. 

Our  work  has  outgrown  our  present  plans.  The  Board  has  anticipated 
this  result  if  the  blessing  of  God  continued  upon  our  work,  and  expecting 
it  would,  has  already  taken  the  initial  step  to  provide  for  it  by  dividing  the 
field  into  "  mission  districts,"  each  to  have  a  general  missionary,  and  in 
an  important  sense  control  of  its  own  work.  This  step  was  taken  in 
January  last.  It  was  thought  that  it  would  serve  to  develop  both  the 
work  and  workers  in  each  of  the  districts,  and  the  better  fit  all  fur  inde- 
pendent work  when  the  time  sliould  come  for  separate  Conventions,  as 
come  it  will.  Now  this  plan  of  work,  in  some  definite  form,  will  be  pre- 
sented to  the  Convention  by  the  Board;  probably  modified  from  their  own 
first  thought  about  it.  But  it  will  be  so  presented  that  it  will  be  exceed- 
ingly important  that  every  part  of  the  field  be  represented  in  the  discus- 
sion and  final  settlement  of  the  plans  for  coming  years. 

Let  the  brethren  come  from  all  parts  of  the  field.  Let  eastern 
Washington  and  Idaho,  eastern  Oregon  and  southern  Oregon,  Coos  Baj^ 
and  western  Oregon,  western  Washington  and  British  Columbia  be  repre- 
sented. If  you  can  do  nothing  more,  send  a  committee  to  represent  your 
field.  None  of  us  can  do  it  so  well  as  those  who  are  on  the  field. 
Let  those  wlio  cannot  come  help  defray  the  expenses  of  those  who  do  come 
from  the  most  distant  parts  of  our  great  field.  We  need  the  united  wis- 
dom of  our  brethren,  and  especially  the  wisdom  that  comes  in  answer  to 
prayer,  to  aid  us  in  settling  the  questions  at  issue,  which  are :  Shall  we 
continue  our  Convention  with  its  present  area?  or  shall  we  divide  up  into 
separate  Conventions?  or  shall  we  adopt  a  definite  plan  of  work  for  two 
or  three  years,  having  in  view  the  better  development  of  each  "  mission 
district"?  and  set  the  time  when  we  will  come  together  and  form 
separate  Conventions?  The  importance  of  these  questions  every  one  will 
see,  and  we  hope  every  church  will  send  one  or  more  delegates  to  help 
settle  them. 

For  a  comprehensive  view  of  the  manner  in  which  these  early 
workers  met  great  and  threatening  difficulties,  and  by  God's  help 
overcame  them,  a  quotation  is  given  from  the  report  of  the  Convention 
Board  as  published  in  the  Baptist  Beacon  for  November,   1883. 

REPORT    OF    THE    MISSION    BOARD,   OCTOBER   25,    1 883 

To  the  Baptist  Convention  for  the  North  Pacific  Coast: 

Your  Mission  Board  beg  leave  to  present  the  following  report  of  our 
home  mission  work  to  October,  1883 : 

Historical  Statement 

The  old  Oregon  and  Washington  Territory  Convention  was  re- 
organized by  delegates  called  together  for  the  purpose  by  the  Executive 
Committee  of  the  old  Convention  at  Albany,  Ore.,  June  26,  1877.  The  new 
organization  took  the  name  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  and  Educational 
Society.  Its  field  of  operation  was  enlarged  to  embrace  Oregon,  Washing- 
ton, Idaho,  and  British  Columbia. 

The  object  of  the  new  organization  was  to  promote  and  foster  mis- 
sions. Christian  education,  and  Sunday-schools.  It  was  designed  to  make 
the  society  permanent,  to  prosecute  the  work  as  God  opened  the  wav, 
0 


34  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

either  independently  or  in  co-operation  with  other  agencies  of  our  de- 
nomination which  might  at  any  time  be  at  work  upon  the  field. 

At  the  third  annual  meeting  of  the  society  it  was  voted  to  change 
the  name  of  the  society  to  the  Baptist  Convention  for  the  North  Pacific 
Coast,  including  the  same  territory.  While  this  did  not  change  the  char- 
acter of  the  work,  still  it  was  evident  to  all  that  its  purpose  of  permanent 
continuance  was  changed,  and  that  it  was  only  a  question  of  time  and 
growth  when  each  separate  State  or  Territory  would  require  its  own  Con- 
vention, and  should  have  it.  This  expectation  has  been  kept  constantly 
in  view  by  this  Board  in  all  its  plans  since  that  time,  with  the  under- 
standing that  whenever  the  churches  of  any  State  or  Territory  expressed 
their  desire  to  form  a  Convention  of  their  own,  they  were  at  perfect 
liberty  to  do  so,  and  should  have  the  hearty  sympathy  and  full  approval 
of  the  Convention  in  such  action. 

That  difference  of  opinion  would  exist  as  to  the  proper  time  to 
organize  separate  Conventions  has  been  recognized ;  but  that  there  should 
be  no  effort  to  restrain  the  liberty  of  the  churches  in  any  State  or 
Territory  from  organizing  a  Convention  of  their  own,  when  they  deemed 
it  wise,  has  ever  been   held. 

When  we  met  at  McMinnville  in  October,  1877,  for  our  first  annual 
meeting,  we  had  ten  dollars  to  begin  with  paid  into  our  treasury  by 
A.  W.  Stannard,  treasurer  of  the  old  Convention.  To  this  was  added  a 
collection  of  forty-six  dollars,  taken  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  with  additional 
pledges  of  nearly  three  hundred  dollars,  and  this  was  the  basis  upon 
which  we  started  our  missionary  operations.  At  this  meeting  a  Mis- 
sionary Board  was  constituted,  who  offered  to  Rev.  J.  C.  Richardson  the 
position  of  general  missionary,  which  was  finally  accepted,  and  so  our 
work  began. 

At  this  time  the  Home  Mission  Society  had  three  missionaries  upon 
the  field,  and  the  Publication  Society  one  colporter,  and  this  was  all  the 
mission  work  of  any  kind  being  done  by  our  people  on  this  great  field. 
We  carried  forward  our  work  upon  an  independent  basis  for  three  j^ears, 
with  the  following  results :  Whole  number  of  missionaries  employed,  12 ; 
years  of  service  performed,  14;  churches  supplied,  23;  out-stations  sup- 
pHed,  26;  churches  constituted,  7;  Sunday-schools  organized,  23;  estimated 
number  of  conversions,  162;  number  of  baptisms,  105;  houses  of  worship 
built,  3 ;  and  with  the  following  exhibit  of  finances  for  the  same  period : 

Total  collections  for  the  work $5,707.19 

Collected  from  Oregon    $4,684.50 

Collected  from    western    Washington    and    British 

Columbia 387.25 

Collected  from  eastern  Washington  and  Idaho......      159.44 

Collected  from  American  Baptist  Publication  So- 
ciety Book  Fund   476.00  $5,707.19 

Expenditures  Same  Period 

In  Oregon,  including  one-half  expense  of  general 

missionary  work $2,053.26 

In  western  Washington  and  British  Columbia,  in- 
cluding  one-fourth   of   the   general   missionary 

expense    2,019.20 

In  eastern  Washington  and  Idaho,  including  one- 
fourth  of  the  expense  of  general  missionary. . . .      952.30 

Expenses  of  the  Convention  and  Board   258.52 

Carried  over  to  co-operation  423.91 

Total    expenditures     $5,707.19 


A    NEW    ERA    IN    THE    NORTHWEST  35 

In  October,  1880,  we  entered  into  co-operation  with  the  American 
Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  we  agreeing  to  accept  their  missionaries, 
and  they  ours,  who  were  in  service  at  that  time.  At  this  time  we  had 
nine  men  under  appointment,  and  the  Home  Mission  Society  had  four.  By 
the  plan  adopted,  the  Home  Mission  Society  was  to  pay  two-thirds  of  the 
salary  of  missionaries,  and  our  Convention  one-third,  all  missionaries  to 
be  recommended  by  our  Board,  and  to  be  commissioned  by  the  New 
York  Board,  and  were  to  report  in  duplicate  to  each  Board  quarterly. 
Under  this  plan  of  co-operation,  we  have  worked  harmoniously  for  three 
years,  the  Home  Mission  Society  having  honored  all  recommendations  of 
our  Board.  The  following  results  have  been  reached  under  this  plan  of 
work:  Whole  number  of  missionaries  employed,  36;  years  of  service  per- 
formed, 51;  number  of  churches  supplied,  59;  out-stations  supplied,  100; 
churches  constituted,  16;  Sunday-schools  organized,  56;  estimated  number 
of  conversions,  359;  number  of  baptisms,  314;  houses  of  worship  builded, 
19;  and  the  following  is  the  exhibit  of  finances  of  the  Convention  for 
the  same  period  : 

Collections 

Total  collections  from  October,  1880,  to  October, 
1883,  including  $423.91  carried  over  from  Oc- 
tober, 1880 $6,995.90 

Collected  from  Oregon   $5,870.40 

Collected   from  western  Washington  and  British 

Columbia    480.60 

Collected  from  eastern  Washington  and  Idaho  . .       644.90  $6,995.90 

Expenditures  to  October  J,  1S83 

Paid  on  account  of  missionaries,  in  co-operation 

with  the  Home  Mission   $6,063.34 

Paid  on  account  of  missionaries  still  serving 
independently,  or  in  co-operation  with  the 
Publication  Society  (Book  Fund)    4-23.91 

Paid    on     account    of     Convention     and     Board 

expense    508.65  $6,995.90 

Statement   of  Expenditures 
Under  co-operation  with  Home  Missionary  Society. 

Total   paid   missionaries    from   October,    1880,   to 

October,  1883   $22,024.52 

Total  paid  in  Oregon   $9,782.67 

Total  paid  in  west  Washington  and  British  Co- 
lumbia         3,899.05 

Total  paid  in  eastern  Washington  and  Idaho....     8,342.80  $22,024.52 

Of  this  amount  the  Convention  has  paid  its  pro 

rata  on   (up  to  October  30,  1883)    20,236.28 

The  Convention  owes  pro  rata  on 1,788.24  $22,024.52 

Amount  due  New  York,  October  30   596.08 

Cash  and  pledges  on  hand  October  30,  1883  ....  596.08 

Resume 
Total  collections  from  October,  1877,  to  October, 

1883  $13,133-45 

Total  collections  in  Oregon   $10,806.36 

Total    collections    in    western    Washington    and 

British  Columbia    1,005.65 

Total  collections  in  eastern  Washington  and  Idaho       845.44 

Total  collections  for  Book  Fund  476.00  $13,133-45 


36 


BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 


Expense  Resume 
Total  paid  from  October,  1877,  to  October,   1883: 

Total  paid  missionaries   $25.733-6i 

Total  paid  expense  of  Convention 767- 1 7  $26,500.78 

Total  paid  by  Convention     12,703.09 

Total  paid  by  Home  Mission  Society 13.797-69  $26,500.78 

From  the  beginning  of  our  work  the  development  of  the  missionary 
spirit  has  been  so  rapid  and  general  among  our  churches  as  to  be  cause 
of  profound  gratitude  to  our  heavenly  Father.  For  four  years  nearly 
ninety  per  cent  of  our  churches  have  been  represented  in  the  gifts  of  its 
members  to  the  work.  The  gifts  of  many  of  our  brethren  and  sisters  have 
been  generous,  and  in  no  small  number  of  cases  self-denying  to  an  extent 
calling  for  our  most  hearty  praise. 

During  the  progress  of  our  work  there  has  been  some  opposition,  but 
most  of  it  in  passive  form ;  and  where  it  has  been  active  has  measurably 
subsided,  and  we  believe  would  altogether,  upon  a  better  understanding  of 
our  purpose  and  plans  of  work.  On  the  whole,  we  have  every  reason  to 
praise  God  for  what  he  hath  wrought,  at  the  same  time  deploring  that  our 
fidelity  and  forecast  has  not  rendered  it  possible  for  God  to  do  more 
for  us. 

THE  P.\ST  YE.\R 

The  past  year  has  been  the  most  trying  of  our  history.  First,  finan- 
cially. We  began  the  year  under  a  financial  strain,  occasioned  by  the 
effort  necessary  to  relieve  our  treasury  from  embarrassment  at  the  close 
of  last  year.  The  unprecedented  drought,  extending  over  all  our  area,  and 
of  so  long  continuance,  has  made  it  an  unusually  difficult  year  to  collect 
money. 

Secondly.  The  work  has  outgrown  our  ability.  The  calls  for  help 
are  so  many  and  so  pressing  that  the  Board  is  often  straitened  to  know 
what  to  undertake,  or  what  to  leave  untouched.  To  say  "Yes"  to  all  the 
calls  would  be  to  hopelessly  embarrass  our  treasury.  To  say  '' No,"'  when 
the  calls  are  so  pressing  and  the  fields  so  promising,  is  an  equally  difficult 
task. 

Thirdly.  The  j'ear  has  been  one  of  spiritual  dearth.  Though  our  mis- 
sionaries have  preached  the  gospel  faithfully  and  labored  abundantly,  yet 
our  mission  churches  have  shared  in  the  widespread  spiritual  dearth  so 
prevalent  all  over  our  countrv.  and  having  been  less  fruitful  in  the  con- 
version of  souls  there  has  been  less  spiritual  stimulant  than  in  some 
past  years. 

Fourthly.  Another  cause  of  anxiety  to  the  Board  has  been  a  movement 
in  western  Washington  to  secure  for  that  district  independent  work. 
The  effect  of  the  movement  has  been  the  almost  utter  absence  of  contri- 
butions from  that  source,  which,  in  the  present  straitened  condition  of 
our  treasury,  was  a  source  of  great  anxiety  to  the  Board.  Still  we  have 
done  everything  in  our  power  to  occupy  the  field.  The  Board  have  no 
desire  to  hold  the  Puget  Sound  district  beyond  the  expressed  will  of 
the  churches ;  yet  we  would  express  a  deep  conviction,  from  the  tinancial 
showing  of  this  report,  that  all  parts  of  the  field  are  under  obligations 
to  stand  by  the  Convention  until  the  treasury  is  relieved  from  embar- 
rassment, and  until,  by  mutual  arrangement,  the  division  occurs. 

These  four  causes  have  made  the  year  just  closed  one  of  unprece- 
dented anxiety  to  the  Board.  It  has  been  a  year  of  laborious  effort  by 
both  your  Board  and  your  missionaries — and.  on  the  part  of  some  of  the 
latter,  of  great  sacrifice. 


A    NEW    ERA    IN    THE    NORTHWEST  37 

THE  FUTURE 

At  different  periods  during  the  progress  of  our  work  it  has  outgrown 
our  plans.  At  first  we  expended  most  of  our  effort  in  general  missionary 
work.  To  awaken  interest  in  missions,  to  encourage  the  feeble  churches 
by  visits  and  meetings  held  by  our  missionaries,  to  develop  resources  and 
open  new  fields,  marked  the  first  period  of  our  history.  Within  two  years 
the  work  outgrew  this  plan,  and  we  were  obliged  to  inaugurate  the  work 
of  sustaining  missionary  pastors  and  itinerant  missionaries,  one  general 
missionary  having  oversight  of  the  whole  field,  and  the  general  cor- 
respondence being  conducted  largely  by  the  officers  of  the  Board.  This 
clerical  work,  however,  soon  outgrew  the  time  any  unpaid  agency  could 
devote  to  it. 

This  rendered  necessary  a  third  change,  in  which  the  general  mission- 
ary was  made  both  corresponding  and  financial  secretary,  and  instructed 
to  take  sufficient  time  from  the  field  to  perform  the  necessary  clerical 
work  of  the  Board.  This  plan  was  adopted  because  we  felt  that  the 
time  had  not  yet  come  to  employ  a  paid  agency.  It  was  found,  however, 
within  the  year,  that  it  was  impossible  for  our  general  missionary  to  do 
the  work  of  corresponding  and  financial  secretary  and  general  missionary 
too,  with  any  proper  regard  for  his  own  strength  or  the  demands  of 
the  field. 

JMeanwhile  the  Home  Mission  Society  had  appointed  Rev.  J.  C. 
Baker  superintendent  of  missions  for  the  coast,  to  have  charge  of  their 
work,  giving  one-half  his  time  to  the  field  covered  by  the  North  Pacific 
Coast  Convention,  and  one-half  his  time  to  the  field  covered  by  the 
California  Convention.  Our  terms  of  co-operation  with  the  Home  Mission 
Society,  through  whose  generous  aid  we  had  been  enabled  to  enlarge  our 
work  to  such  an  extent,  were  such  that  we  could  avail  ourselves  of  the 
needed  clerical  help  by  appointing  their  superintendent  our  corresponding 
and  financial  secretary,  and  so  relieve  our  general  missionary  to  pursue 
that  work  unembarrassed.  This  method  was  adopted,  and  to  the  present 
time  has  been  working  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Board. 

In  January  last  it  had  become  evident  to  the  Board  that  another  step 
in  advance  was  demanded.  The  extent  of  the  field  and  its  rapid  growth 
rendered  it  quite  impossible  to  aid  and  develop  all  sections  of  the  great 
field  as  seemed  to  our  general  missionary  and  the  Board  necessary. 
Upon  recommendation  of  the  Superintendent  of  Missions,  it  was  voted 
to  divide  the  field  into  mission  districts,  and  the  superintendent  was 
instructed  to  enter  into  correspondence  with  reference  to  supplying  each 
district  with  a  general  missionary  as  soon  as  men  could  be  found 
and  funds  would  justify.  It  was  thought  the  plan  would  have  a  tendency 
to  develop  both  resources  and  workers  in  each  separate  district,  and 
where  it  was  needed,  a  district  mission  committee  might  co-operate  with 
the  Board,  thus  preparing  the  way  for  enlargement  and  for  final  separate 
work  which  the  Board  recognized  as  not  far  in  the  future.  This  purpose 
of  the  Board  has  been  kept  steadily  in  mind,  though  up  to  the  present 
time  we  have  not  been  able  to  carry  it  into  practical  application.  We 
engaged  one  missionary  for  the  Puget  Sound  district,  namely,  Rev.  J.  A. 
Wirth,  but  he  finally  declined  the  work. 

Add  to  this  another  important  item  to  which  the  attention  of  the 
Board  had  never  been  called  until  within  the  past  year,  and  you  will 
see  that  radical  changes  are  still  needed  to  meet  the  demands  upon  us.  It 
is  this :  The  largest  per  cent  of  the  money  collected  to  carry  forward 
the  work  comes  from  the  Oregon  churches,  namely,  about_  eighty  per 
cent,  and  the  largest  per  cent  is  expended  in  the  territories,  namely, 
about  seventy  per  cent.  The  Board  has  considered  the  work  one,  and  has 
been  equally  interested  in  all  parts  of  the  field.  Men  have  been  available 
for  the  fields  we  have  occupied,  and  the  territories  have  shared   largely 


38  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

in  the  expenditures ;  but  now,  Oregon  presses  for  enlargement  of  its 
own  work,  and  the  fund  we  are  able  to  provide  will  not  justify  its  en- 
largement and  continue  even  the  present  outlay  in  the  territories.  There- 
fore, we  have  asked  the  Home  Alission  Society  to  allow  the  field  to  be 
divided  into  three  mission  districts,  namely,  Oregon,  western  Washing- 
ton, and  British  Columbia,  and  eastern  Washington  and  northern  Idaho, 
and  to  adopt  the  following  plan  for  future  work,  which  we  would  also 
recommend  for  the  consideration  of  the  Convention : 

'■  Recognizing  the  foregoing  facts,  and  the  necessity  for  the  still 
further  enlargement  of  our  work  upon  the  opening  of  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railway,  rendering  necessary  a  greatly  increased  number  of  mission 
stations  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  incoming  tide  of  immigration,  especially 
in  the  territories,  where  the  largest  part  of  our  money  has  always  been 
expended ;  and 

"  Recognizing  our  inability  to  meet  these  demands  on  the  present 
basis  of  co-operation, 

"  We,  therefore,  most  earnestly  ask  and  urge  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society,  under  whose  generous  co-operation  we  have  been 
enabled  to  reach  such  results  in  the  past  three  years,  to  allow  the  work  in 
western  Washington  and  British  Columbia,  and  in  eastern  Washington 
and  northern  Idaho,  to  be  put  under  a  separate  Board  of  their  own  ap- 
pointment which  shall  have  control  of  all  work  on  their  respective  fields 
under  the  supervision  of  your  Superintendent  of  Missions;  they  report- 
ing to  this  Convention  annually  a  summary  of  their  work  until  such 
time  as  they  themselves  shall  deem  it  wise  to  organize  a  separate  Con- 
vention or  Conventions  of  their  own.     And  further, 

"  That  we  most  earnestly  request  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mis- 
sion Society,  in  view  of  the  increasing  demands  upon  our  field  for  ad- 
ditional missionaries,  that  the  Society  appropriate  a  pro  rata  of  two  to 
one  for  work  in  Oregon ;  three  to  one  in  western  Washington  and  British 
Columbia ;  and  four  to  one  in  eastern  Washington  and  western  Idaho,  be- 
lieving it  to  be  the  least  possible  ratio  that  will  meet  the  demands  of  this 
great  Northwest;  and  we  further  ask 

"  That  one-half  the  amount  you  charge  to  this  Convention  on  account 
of  the  Superintendent  of  Missions  be  charged  to  Oregon,  and  one-fourth 
to  each  of  the  other  districts. 

"  We  would  record  our  high  appreciation  of  the  generous  aid 
rendered  by  the  Home  Mission  Societj',  and  would  extend  to  Doctor  More- 
house, their  corresponding  secretary,  and  through  him  to  the  New 
York  Board,  our  most  earnest  and  heartfelt  gratitude." 

REPORT  OF  SUPERINTENDENT  OF   MISSIONS  ON   HIS   METHOD  OF  OPERATING 

To  the  Baptist  Convention  for  the  North  Pacific  Coast: 

Dear  Brethren  :  I  would  call  attention  to  the  fact,  that  in  your  mis- 
sionary work  and  that  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society, 
whose  interests  upon  the  field  I  have  the  honor  of  representing,  we  are 
working  under  a  plan  of  co-operation,  and  not  as  independent  bodies. 
That  reports  are  made  in  duplicate,  that  receipts  are  made  in  duplicate, 
and  that  the  work  done  is  regarded  in  a  sense  as  the  work  of  each,  while  it 
is  done  jointly.  Under  such  a  plan  there  must  be  the  closest  possible  sym- 
pathy and  identity  of  interest.  The  work  is  one  work,  and  every  agency 
employed  has  the  single  purpose  of  efficiency  and  the  best  possible  results 
for  both  parties. 

The  Home  Mission  Society,  paying  two-thirds  of  the  expense  of  the 
agencies  employed,  have  their  own  representative  and  agent  upon  the 
field  whom  they  appoint  and  designate  as  Superintendent  of  Missions.  All 
other  agents  employed  are  by  your  motion  and  recommendation,  includ- 


A    NEW    ERA    IN    THE    NORTHWEST  39 

ing  general  missionary,  missionar}'  pastors,  itinerant  missionaries,  or  dis- 
trict missionaries. 

In  the  appointment  of  their  agent  upon  the  field,  the  Home  Mission 
Society  instructed  him  to  maintain  the  closest  possible  relations  with  the 
Convention  and  its  Mission  Board;  to  co-operate  with  them  in  the  most 
intimate  and  fraternal  manner  possible ;  to  consult  and  obtain  the  com- 
bined wisdom  of  the  Board  upon  plans  of  work  and  methods  of  raisins: 
money,  and  in  every  legitimate  way  to  aid  the  Convention  in  carrying 
forward  the  great  work  upon  their  field  in  which  the  Convention  and  so- 
ciety are  alike  interested. 

Accepting  this  as  the  intention  of  the  Home  Mission  Society,  your 
Board  have  met  them  upon  this  common  ground  of  identity  of  interest 
and  appointed  the  Superintendent  of  Missions  as  corresponding  secretary 
of  the  Board,  and  also  made  him  financial  secretary  of  the  Board,  which 
relieves  your  general  missionary  to  pursue  the  especial  work  of  that 
office. 

The  work  of  the  Superintendent  of  Missions  for  the  Board,  is  to 
conduct  correspondence,  raise  money,  plan  work,  visit  different  sections 
of  the  field,  and  report  to  the  Board  their  wants. 

The  general  missionary  of  j'our  Convention  is,  as  the  title  indicates,  a 
man  of  all  work ;  and  yet,  like  the  Superintendent  of  Missions,  he  has  a 
distinctive  field  of  operations  which  ought  to  be  defined  in  the  mind  of  all 
supporters  of  our  mission  work.  His  work  may  be  reduced  to  three 
kinds:  first,  opening  new  fields;  second,  building  houses  of  worship;  third, 
opening  the  way  for  the  settlement  of  pastors. 

1.  The  work  to  be  done  under  the  first  head.  Take  a  specific  field 
for  example :  Say,  Sprague,  W.  T.  The  Board  wish  to  open  that 
field.  They  send  their  general  missionary  to  do  it.  His  work  is  to 
get  the  Baptists  together ;  organize  a  church  and  Sunday-school ;  begin 
the  enterprise  of  building  a  house  of  worship  ;  see  what  can  be  done  for 
support  of  pastor ;  hold  the  field,  carrying  forward  the  whole  work  until 
a  pastor  is  secured  and  on  the  field,  and  the  work  turned  over  to  him. 
While  doing  this  he  can  be  doing  some  other  work  also.  This  is  only  a 
specimen  of  many  fields  widely  separated  calling  for  help  now. 

2.  Take  a  case  under  the  second  head,  and  they  are  frequent.  A  house 
of  worship  could  often  be  builded,  sometimes  where  a  church  is,  at  other 
times  where  no  church  is  organized,  if  there  were  an  efficient  man  to  lead 
the  enterprise.  We  have  found  several  of  this  kind  within  the  past  few 
months,  where  offers  of  lots  and  help  to  build  a  house  of  worship  have 
been  proffered  the  Baptists  or  are  open  to  us.  Here  is  work  to  employ  a 
general  missionary  for  your  Board,  send  him  to  such  an  open  field  and 
let  him  take  hold  of  the  enterprise  and  stick  to  it  until  it  is  complete  and 
provision  made  for  preaching  the  gospel  in  it.  Many  such  openings  are 
ready  for  us  to-day,  and  we  cannot  take  them  up.  In  some  cases  they  are 
so  located  that  a  general  missionary  could  carry  on  two  building  enterprises 
at  the  same  time.  This  kind  of  work  alone  would  employ  three  men  on 
our  great  field  for  the  next  ten  years. 

3.  Take  a  case  under  the  third  head.  Here  is  a  church  or  churches  in 
a  given  district  destitute  of  a  pastor,  and  circumstances  not  favorable  to 
the  settlement  of  one.  It  may  be  troubles,  or  depletion  by  removals,  or 
other  causes.  The  field  is  important.  The  Board  desire  to  do  something 
for  it.  But  what  and  how  are  the  questions?  We  say,  send  a  general 
missionary  to  do  any  kind  of  work  needing  to  be  done  to  put  this  church 
on  its  feet  and  open  the  way  for  them  to  settle  a  pastor;  or  in  case  of 
more  than  one  church,  then  open  the  way  to  group  the  interests  in  the 
settlement  of  a  pastor;  send  the  general  missionary  to  such  a  field  to  stay 
until  he  has  succeeded  or  declares  the  field  hopeless.  All  other  work  a 
general  missionary  would  do,  not  included  in  these  things,  would  be 
incidental. 


40         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

It  will  be  objected  that  the  general  missionary  could  not  get  over 
the  held  at  that  rate.  Well,  "  getting  over  the  field  "  is  not  the  thing,  but 
doing  permanent  work  on  some  part  of  the  field  is.  In  the  beginning  of 
our  work  on  the  upper  coast,  it  was  necessary  for  our  general  mis- 
sionary "  to  get  over  the  field  "  to  awaken  interest,  stir  up  enthusiasm,  raise 
money,  hold  meetings,  etc.  But  we  have  outgrown  almost  all  our  initial 
methods.  Now,  real  genuine,  solid  permanent  work  is  to  be  done  in 
localities,  and  when  our  general  missionary  is  sent  upon  a  field,  it  should 
mean  something  permanent  on  that  field.  I  think  this  is  the  growing  con- 
viction of  your  Board. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

GENERAL  SATISFACTION 
1884 

General  satisfaction  apparent.     Preparing  for  a  brotherly  dissolution.     Legal  advice 
sought.     Report  of   western   district.      Report  of  eastern   district. 

The  history  of  1884  is  not  marked  with  such  intense  interest  and 
such  far-reaching  results  as  that  of  1883  and  1885.  It  was  a  year  of 
apparent  general  satisfaction  prevailing  in  the  conduct  of  the  work 
by  the  General  Convention.  The  plan,  formulated  by  the  Superin- 
tendent of  Missions  and  recommended  to  the  Convention  Board,  of 
dividing  the  field  into  three  districts,  each  appointing  a  committee  of 
its  own  to  have  charge  of  the  work  on  its  field,  was  adopted  by  the 
Convention.  Through  the  recommendation  of  the  Superintendent  of 
Missions,  the  New  York  Board  had  sanctioned  the  division  and  the 
appointment  of  a  general  missionary  for  each  district  as  soon 
as  suitable  men  could  be  obtained.  Each  district  was  to  report  an- 
nually to  the  Convention  in  duplicate,  until  the  time  arrived  to 
organize  separate  Conventions.  Oregon  remained  under  the  control 
of  the  General  Convention.  The  New  York  Board  was  not  willing, 
at  this  time,  to  take  up  co-operative  work  with  the  western  Wash- 
ington or  eastern  Washington  districts  independently  of  the  Con- 
vention, the  constituency  of  neither  numbering  a  thousand  church- 
members.  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven  was  recommended  and  commissioned  as 
general  missionary  for  the  eastern  district.  Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth  was 
recommended  as  general  missionary  for  the  western  district,  and 
was  accepted,  but  for  personal  reasons  did  not  take  up  the  work. 
The  committee  in  charge,  however,  rendered  efficient  service.  Every- 
thing seemed  to  be  tending  to  a  time,  not  remote,  when  the  North 
Pacific  Coast  Convention  would  come  together  in  a  brotherly.  Christ- 
like spirit,  dissolve  the  Convention,  dispose  of  its  legal  holdings,  and 
assure  the  organization  of  three  Conventions,  with  the  life,  sympathy, 
and  power  of  the  w^hole  absorbed  by  each  and  stimulating  each.  The 
Superintendent  of  Missions  was  using  his  utmost  endeavors  to  pave 
the  way  for  the  New  York  Board  to  give  its  sanction  w-henever  the 
change  was  made.  With  this  end  in  view,  early  in  the  session  of  1884, 
the  following  motion  was  passed :  "  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker  moved  that  a 
committee  be  appointed  to  investigate  and  report  to  the  Convention, 
next  year,  what  legal  steps  are  necessary  to  reduce  the  area  of  the 
Convention  to  the  State  of  Oregon  and  to  change  its  name  if 
necessary." 

The  Executive  Committee  for  the  Puget  Sound  district  says  this 
in  its  report  to  the  Puget  Sound  Association : 

41 


42  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Your  committee  beg  leave  to  recommend  an  expression  of  our  thanks 
to  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  for  the  generous  aid 
rendered  in  sustaining  pastors  and  in  building  houses  of  worship,  the 
past  year,  and  express  our  desire  for  a  continuance  of  the  present  plan 
of  co-operation  and  the  still  further  enlargement  of  the  work  on 
our  field. 

They  also  passed  the  following  resolution : 

Resolved,  That  this  Association  deeply  appreciates  the  laborious  and 
faithful  labors  of  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker  as  Pacific  Coast  Superintendent  of 
Missions  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  in  this  Asso- 
ciation during  the  past  year,  and  that  we  regard  him  as  peculiarly  qualified 
in  capacity  and  experience  for  that  position. 

The  Executive  Committee  of  this  western  district  opens  its  report 
to  the  Convention  of  this  year  with  the  following  statement: 

To  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast: 

Dear  Brethren  :  Three  distinct  causes  have  combined  to  secure  a 
great  and  permanent  growth  within  our  district  known  as  western 
Washington  and  British  Columbia,  during  the  past  twenty  months. 

1.  A  steady  increase  of  population  by  large  immigration. 

2.  A  wise  and  liberal  policy  on  the  part  of  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society. 

3.  The  healthy  development  of  our  own  resources  encouraged  by 
wise  and  timely  aid. 

In  January,  1883,  there  was  not  a  single  home  missionary  on  our 
field.  To-day  there  are  seven  men  in  active  employ  of  the  Home  Mission 
Society,  aside  from  our  Superintendent  of  Missions. 

There  were  then  but  eleven  churches  reported  on  the  field.  To-day 
there  are  twenty.  There  were  then  but  six  church  edifices.  Now  there  are 
thirteen. 

The  year  just  passed  added  to  our  permanent  improvements  a  value 
of  over  $12,000. 

There  has  been  a  general  advance  all  along  the  line. 

!Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  C/!Oir«io». 
Judge  R.  S.  Green^ 
Rev.  J.  A  Wirth, 
Rev   B    N   L   Davis 
Geo.  W.  Traver. 

In  eastern  Washington,  a  Convention  was  organized,  auxiliary 
to  the  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  and  it  so  continued  until 
the  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  was  dissolved.  This  course 
became  necessary  in  that  district  because  it  contained  three  separate 
Associations,  and  so  could  not  focalize  its  work  on  an  executive 
committee,  as  was  done  on  Puget  Sound  where  all  the  churches  were 
members  of  one  Association.  The  churches  of  the  eastern  district 
report  to  the  Convention  that  they  have  given  most  of  their  effort  to 
home  missions.  They  have  nine  missionaries  under  appointment,  and 
thirteen  churches  in  the  bounds  of  their  district  with  four  hundred 
members.     They  report  efficient  and  very  helpful  service  from  their 


GENERAL   SATISFACTION  43 

general  missionary,  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven,  both  in  raising  funds  and 
in  aiding  feeble  churches.  There  was  a  struggle  in  this  district  such 
as  was  not  felt  in  either  of  the  other  districts.  They  had  never  asked 
for  independent  work.  The  country  was  new,  the  people  were  poor, 
the  times  were  hard.     They  say  in  their  report : 

Under  the  district  plan  of  co-operation  with  the  Home  Mission 
Society,  which  at  the  suggestion  of  your  body  we  adopted,  we  have  not 
been  able  to  carry  on  our  work  as  successfully  as  we  had  hoped.  The 
terms  made  us  were  liberal,  and  we  are  grateful  for  them;  but,  with  our 
church  building,  our  church  debts,  and  the  hard  times,  we  have  not 
been  able  to  raise  our  pro  rata. 

At  the  annual  meeting,  however,  or  soon  after,  their  pro  rata  was 
provided ;  and  they  continued  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven  as  their  general 
missionary ;  and,  by  his  wise  and  godly  counsel  and  untiring  effort,  he 
soon  implanted  in  them  a  faith  and  courage  that  has  never  ceased 
to  grow. 

In  their  report  to  the  General  Convention,  the  Convention  Board 
of  eastern  Washington  and  western  Idaho  make  the  following  men- 
tion of  conditions  apparent  under  the  new  plan  of  work : 

SUPERINTENDENT  OF   MISSIONS 

Your  Board  feel  that  in  making  our  report,  it  is  due  the  Superintend- 
ent of  missions.  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  and  the  Home  Mission  Society,  to  state 
that  we  are  heartily  in  accord  with  the  Superintendent  of  Missions  in  his 
plans  of  work  in  opening  up  new  tields  of  labor  and  supplying  the  fields 
already  under  the  fostering  care  of  the  society,  and  while  his  labors  have 
been  arduous,  he  has  been  indefatigable  in  his  efforts  to  meet  the  pressing 
needs  of  the  various  fields  under  the  supervision  of  this  Convention.  We 
most  heartily  bespeak  for  the  Superintendent  of  Missions  the  continued 
cordial,  prayerful,  and  hearty  interest  and  co-operation  in  his  work, 
heretofore  so  generally  accorded  him. 

THE  HOME  MISSION   SOCIETY 

Each  year  we  are  brought  under  new  obligations  to  the  Home  Mis- 
sion Society  for  its  generous  help  in  prosecuting  our  work,  and  we  hereby 
express  our  acknowledgment  to  the  society,  and  to  Rev.  H.  L.  Morehouse, 
the  corresponding  secretary  of  the  society,  for  the  deep  and  helpful 
interest  they  have  taken  in  both  our  missionary  and  church  edifice  work. 
We  recommend  that  suitable  expression  of  our  appreciation  of  the  work 
of  the  society  be  prepared  by  the  Convention  and  transmitted  to  the 
society  officially  signed. 

We  also  recommend  that  the  society  be  asked  to  continue  its  co- 
operation with  the  Convention,  and  that  a  statement  of  our  utter 
inability  to  supply  the  pressing  needs  of  the  field  be  made,  and  the  society 
asked  to  increase  its  expenditures  upon  the  field  as  soon  as  the  condition 
of  its  treasury  will  justify. 

Rev.  J.  F.  B.\ker,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

All  the  conditions  taken  into  consideration,  the  work  of  the 
year  appears  to  have  been  both  satisfactory  and  hopeful. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  ATTACK  UPON  THE  OFFICE  OF  THE 
SUPERINTENDENT 

1885 

A  surprise.  Consternation.  Conditions.  Oregon  report.  Western  Washington 
report.  Eastern  Washington  report.  Report  of  Superintendent  of  Missions.  Three 
elements  operating.  A  strange  combination.  First  move.  Second  move.  Third  move. 
General  conditions.  Before  1884.  Home  Mission  Monthly.  No.  I,  No.  II,  No.  Ill; 
after   1866,   No.    IV.     Justice. 

After  reading  the  account  of  the  organized  work  on  the  North 
Pacific  Coast  up  to  this  date,  no  one  will  be  prepared  for  the  record 
of  events  occurring  in  the  annual  meeting  of  the  North  Pacific  Bap- 
tist Convention  held  in  Portland  in  1885.  It  is  difficult  to  write  of 
them;  and  it  would  be  more  difficult  to  believe  them,  were  they  not 
matter  of  record.  As  such,  they  are  historical  events,  and  belong  to 
the  historical  account  of  the  three  Baptist  Conventions  growing  out 
of  the  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  viz.,  the  Oregon  Con- 
vention, the  Convention  of  Western  Washington  and  British  Co- 
lumbia, and  the  Convention  of  Eastern  Washington  and  Western 
Idaho.  The  territory  of  these  Conventions  was  all  covered  by  the 
Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  and  they  were  all  represented 
in  this  meeting,  but  the  Convention  of  Eastern  Washington  and 
Western  Idaho  was  represented  only  by  report,  having  no  delegates 
present.  Rev.  C.  H.  Mattoon.  the  Baptist  historian  of  the  North 
Pacific  Coast,  gives  a  full  account  and  analysis  of  this  meeting  of  the 
Convention  in  his  "  Baptist  Annals  of  Oregon,"  Vol.  I,  pp.  351-362. 
In  closing  his  article,  he  says :  "  The  result  of  all  this  trouble 
was  to  spread  consternation  through  all  the  Baptist  ranks  of  the 
State  and  almost  to  paralyze  all  immediate  activity  in  mission  work." 
The  inconsistency  of  the  whole  action  will  appear  from  the  record  of 
what  was  actually  done. 

Reports  from  the  three  districts  show  the  following  conditions 
for  the  year.  We  quote  first  from  the  report  of  the  Board  of  the 
General  Convention  which  still  controlled  the  work  in  Oregon : 

The  Baptist  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast: 

Dear  Brethren  in  Christ  :  Your  Home  Mission  Board  beg"  leave  to 
present  the  following  report  for  the  current  year : 

First.  We  would  record  our  gratitude  to  Almighty  God  for  his 
preserving  care  over  the  members  of  the  Board  and  the  missionaries  under 
employ  during  the  year,  and  for  the  rich  l)lessing  that  has  come  upon 
the  churches  of  our  Convention. 

44 


ATTACK   UPON   THE  OFFICE  OF  THE  SUPERINTENDENT     45 

MISSIONARIES 

The  following  brethren  have  been  under  employ  during  a  portion 
or  all  of  the  year,  and  have  performed  faithful  and  acceptable  service, 
namely :  Rev.  A.  AI.  Russell  at  Ashland  and  Medford ;  Rev.  E.  C.  Hamil- 
ton at  Roseburg;  Rev.  C.  P.  Baily  at  Summer  and  Marshfield ;  Rev.  G.  W. 
Black  at  Gardner  and  Elkton;  Rev.  C.  M.  Hill  at  Eugene;  Rev.  T.  G. 
Brownson  at  Albany ;  Rev.  G.  J.  Burchett  at  McMinnville  and  Dayton  : 
Rev.  W.  E.  McCutcheon  at  Carlton  and  Mount  Olive  churches ;  Rev.  C. 
W.  Rees  at  Forest  Grove,  Hillsboro,  and  Washington  County ;  Rev.  Tong 
Tsin  Chung,  Chinese  missionary  at  Portland;  Rev.  C.  H.  Hobart  at  East 
Portland  and  Mount  Tabor ;  Rev.  O.  D.  Taylor  at  The  Dalles ;  Rev.  W.  H. 
Pruett  at  Weston,  Centerville,  and  Milton;  Rev.  C.  A.  Wooddy  at  Pendle- 
ton ;  Rev.  G.  T.  Ellis  at  La  Grande  and  Union  County. 

The  following  table  shows  in  part  the  work  done  by  these  men  during 
the  year : 

Weeks  of  labor  performed 575 

Number  of  sermons  preached 1,486 

Number  of  churches   supplied    22 

Number  of  outstations  supplied    25 

Number  of  prayer  meetings  held    685 

Number  of  religious  visits  made  2,988 

Number  received   by  baptism    1 14 

Number  received  by  letter  86 

Number  of  members  in  mission  churches    825 

Number  of  churches   organized    2 

Number  of  Sunday-schools  organized   2 

Value  of  church  property $32,800.00 

Paid  for  home  missions   $390-35 

Paid  for  foreign  missions  $95-6/ 

Paid  for  Publication  Society  $43-72 

Paid  for  educational  purposes    $33-6o 

Paid  for  other  benevolent  purposes    $121.70 

Paid  for  building  and  repairs   $4,903.00 

Number  of  Sunday-schools  under  their  care 22 

Number  of  pupils  enrolled  1)323 

Number  of  teachers    102 

Contribution  for  school  expenses  $407.11 

Contribution  for  other  objects   $47-87 

These  mission  churches  have  their  work  well  organized  as  a  rule, 
and  are  being  led  by  their  pastors  into  an  intelligent  activity  in  the 
various  departments  of  our  denominational  work. 

FINANCES  AND  DESTITUTION 

Early  in  the  year  it  became  evident  that  our  scale  of  expenditures 
was  too  large  to  be  carried  through  the  year,  and  we  have  made  every 
effort  to  reduce  expenses.  In  case  of  fields  vacated,  we  have  not  filled  the 
vacancies  on  this  account,  and  in  case  of  new  fields  calling  for  aid  we 
have  not  dared  to  open  them  from  the  same  cause. 

THE  HOME  MISSION  SOCIETY 

The  great  financial  strain  upon  the  Home  Mission  Society  rendered 
retrenchment  necessary,  which  was  announced  by  the  chief  secretary, 
Rev.  H.  L.  Morehouse.  D.  D.,  in  April.  After  the  anniversaries  at  Sar- 
atoga in  May,  it  was  decided  that  thirty  per  cent  from  the  appropriations 
of  last  year  must  be  made  upon  our  field.     The  Superintendent  of  Mis- 


46  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

sions  asked  for  a  special  Board  meeting  to  consider  this  grave  question, 
which  was  held  the  fourth  of  June.  At  that  meeting  it  was  resolved, 
after  prayerful  discussion,  to  carry  the  men  we  then  had  upon  the  field  at 
their  present  salaries  until  the  Convention  met,  but  to  open  no  new 
fields.  The  number  of  men  having  already  dropped  out  of  the  work, 
rendered  it  possible  for  us  to  do  this,  we  thought,  without  greatly  em- 
barrassing the  Convention.  To  this  end  we  have  worked  to  the  best  of 
our  ability,  and  close  the  year  with  only  seven  missionaries  under  employ 
in  the  State. 

We  gladly  bear  testimony  to  the  consideration  the  Home  Mission 
Society  has  shown  this  Convention  during  this  financial  crisis  through 
which  she  is  passing,  and  tender  most  hearty  thanks  to  Rev.  H.  L.  More- 
house, D.  D.,  corresponding  secretary,  and  also  to  the  Board  in  New  York 
for  the  same. 

We  also  desire  to  express  our  high  appreciation  of  the  Superintendent 
of  Missions,  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  for  the  faithful  and  efficient  manner  in 
which  he  has  served  as  corresponding  and  financial  secretary  of  this, 
the  Oregon  Board,  for  the  conventional  year. 

The  most  hearty  thanks  of  the  Board  are  also  due  to  the  pastors 
and  churches  throughout  the  State  for  their  co-operation  and  words  of 
cheer  when  so  great  a  pressure  has  been  upon  us. 

We  quote  from  the  report  of  the  committee  of  the  Puget  Sound 
district : 

REPORT   OF   THE  EXECUTIVE   COMMITTEE   OF   THE   PUGET    SOUND    BAPTIST 
ASSOCIATION 

Dear  Brethren  :  Several  causes  have  rendered  the  work  on  Puget 
Sound  more  difficult  and  less  efifective  the  year  just  past  than  the  preceding 
one.  Yet  the  spiritual  work  has  been,  on  the  whole,  more  fruitful  than 
before.  Over  one  hundred  baptisms  have  been  reported  within  the  year, 
and  several  of  the  mission  churches  have  been  much  strengthened.  One 
year  ago  there  were  reported  on  the  field  twenty  churches,  thirteen  church 
edifices,  seven  missionaries  employed,  and  seven  stations  occupied.  To-day- 
there  are  twenty-four  churches,  fourteen  church  edifices,  six  missionaries, 
and  twelve  stations  regularly  supplied. 

Permanent  improvements  have  been  made  at  Westminster,  Victoria, 
LaConner,  and  Seattle  Scandinavian^  amounting  to  $4,500.  counting 
material  secured  but  not  used  at  Westminster. 

During  the  two  and  one-fourth  years  having  elapsed  since  the 
appointment  of  the  Executive  Committee  sixteen  commissions  have  been 
recommended.  All  but  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks  having  been  appointed  by  the  Home 
Mission  Society,  amounting  in  all  to  $7,135.  Gifts  secured  from  Church 
Edifice  Fund,  $1,750;  loan,  $500,  a  total  of  nearly  $10,000,  of  which  tfip 
Association  has  raised  about  $2,300.  By  these  aids  there  have  been  secured 
in  permanent  improvement,  $13,665,  including  the  erection  of  seven  church 
edifices,  the  complete  renovation  of  another,  and  the  regular  occupation 
of  ten  new   stations  where  the  gospel   is  now   regularly  preached. 

There  were  reported  in  1883,  sixteen  churches  with  three  hundred  and 
thirty-three  members,  of  which  six  churches  and  seventy-two  members 
were  received  at  the  annual  session,  June,   1883. 

The  minutes  of  1885  show  twenty  churches  with  five  hundred  and 
eight-two  members,  to  which  should  be  added  to  the  present  time  forty- 
eight  received  by  baptism,  twenty  by  experience  and  letter,  and  Dakota 
church  which  failed  to  report  in  time  to  be  received  by  the  Association, 
making  a  present  total  of  about  six  hundred  and  seventy-three  members, 
an  addition  of  one  hundred  per  cent,  of  whom  over  fifty  per  cent  were 
received  by  baptism.  Roger  S.  Greene.  Cliaimwn. 


ATTACK  UPON   THE  OFFICE  OF  THE   SUPERINTENDENT     47 
We  quote  the 

year's   report  of  the  convention   of  eastern    WASHINGTON   AND   NORTHERN 

IDAHO 

The  following  report  is  for  the  year  ending  October  i,  1885 : 

Weeks  of  labor  performed,  four  hundred  and  fifteen;  sermons 
preached,  nine  hundred  and  one;  churches  statedly  supplied,  nine;  average 
attendance  on  Sabbath,  six  hundred  and  eighty-one ;  outstations  supplied, 
six;  prayer  meetings  attended,  five  hundred  and  eighty-one;  persons  or 
families  religiously  visited,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-four ; 
received  by  baptism,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five;  received  by  letter  and 
experience,  sixty-six;  whole  number  of  members,  five  hundred  and  ninety- 
one;  the  Lord's  Supper  administered,  thirty;  churches  organized,  four; 
Bibles  and  Testaments  distributed,  forty-three;  tracts,  pages  distributed, 
eight  thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirty-six ;  salary  received  from  the 
field,  $2,750;  salary  received  from  the  Home  Mission  Society,  $5,391; 
meeting-houses  finished  this  year,  two ;  paid  for  building  and  repairing 
meeting-houses  during  year,  $2,615;  value  of  church  property,  $23,900; 
debt  on  church  property,  $3,526;  paid  for  Home  Mission  Society,  $907; 
paid  for  foreign  missions,  $125;  paid  for  Publication  Society,  %77 ;  paid  for 
education,  $300;  paid  for  other  benevolent  objects,  $140. 

REPORT   OF   OUR    SUNDAY-SCHOOLS 

Number  of  schools,  ten ;  number  of  pupils  enrolled,  six  hundred  and 
sixty-nine;  number  of  teachers,  fifty-nine;  number  of  volumes  in  library, 
six  hundred  and  eighty-three ;  number  of  papers  per  Sabbath,  five  hun- 
dred;  contributions  for  school  expenses,  $175.53;  contributions  for  other 
objects,  $29.30.  J   P  Baker,  Secretary  of  Convention. 

We  quote  from  the  report  of  the  Superintendent  of  Missions,  who 
had  divided  his  time  among  the  three  districts  as  their  needs  seemed 
to  demand: 

REPORT    OF    SUPERINTENDENT    OF     MISSIONS 

To  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast: 

Dear  Brethren  :  I  beg  leave  to  submit  the  following  resume  of  the 
work  of  the  year: 

The  year  began  with  an  expenditure  by  the  Home  Mission  Society 
upon  our  whole  field  of  $18,090  per  year;  of  this  amount  $7,300  was  for 
Oregon.  $6,675  was  for  eastern  Washington  and  northern  Idaho,  and 
$4,125  for  western  Washington  and  British  Columbia.  To  carry  this 
expenditure  for  the  year  would  require  to  be  raised  in  Oregon,  besides  the 
expense  of  the  Convention,  a  pro  rata  of  $2,433.33 ;  in  eastern  Wash- 
ington and  northern  Idaho,  $1,338.20;  in  western  Washington  and  British 
Columbia,  $1,031.25;  making  a  total  of  $4,802.78  to  be  raised  for  the  year. 

Considering  the  condition  of  the  finances  of  the  country,  and  the 
further  fact  that  our  college  must  come  before  the  churches  for  several 
thousand  dollars  during  the  year,  it  was  easy  for  me  to  see  that  so  large 
a  sum  for  home  missions  could  not  be  expected  for  the  year. 

At  the  same  time,  to  any  one  studying  the  condition  of  the  treasury 
of  the  Home  Mission  Society,  it  was  evident  that  retrenchment  upon  a 
large  scale  must  come  before  the  year  was  far  advanced. 

Add  to  this  the  fact  that  we  had  under  employ  upon  the  whole  field 
twenty-nine  men,  that  fourteen  new  commissions  had  been  issued  to  as 
many  men  the  previous  year,  and  that  one-half  or  more  of  our  mission- 


48  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

aries  were  induced  to  come  to  this  field  under  promise  of  good  salaries 
and  aid  until  their  churches  became  self-sustaining;  and  you  have  before 
you,  what  has  been  to  the  superintendent,  from  the  beginning  of  the  year, 
an  ever-present  perplexity. 

But  God  has  greatly  helped  us.  When  we  have  stood  in  dismay, 
he  has  opened  up  a  highway  and  thrown  along  its  track  the  light  of  divine 
truth  and  hath  imparted  strength  to  go  forward,  and  we  close  the  year 
with  a  deficit  much  smaller  than  has  been  feared  by  many  during  most  of 
the  year.  The  deficit  in  Oregon  is  $1,015.91 ;  in  west  Washington  and 
British   Columbia,   $594;    east    Washington    and   northern    Idaho,   $880.96. 

But  this  fact  must  be  borne  in  mind — that  we  have  only  lost  two  men 
permanently  from  the  field,  though  we  have  nine  less  under  appointment. 
Only  two  new  men  have  been  commissioned  during  the  i^ear,  against  four- 
teen last  year,  leaving  our  whole  ministerial  force  the  same  as  at  last  Con- 
vention numerically. 

This  is  no  time  for  discouragement,  the  year  has  been  one  of  real  ad- 
vancement in  all  permanent  growth  beyond  any  year  of  our  history  as  a 
Convention.  Our  mission  churches  have  been  blessed  with  larger  ingather- 
ing of  souls ;  five  of  our  mission  churches  have  become  self-sustaining,  so 
far  at  least  as  to  carry  their  own  work  without  aid ;  all  our  mission 
churches  are  doing  more  toward  the  support  of  their  pastors  and  asking 
less  from  the  society;  nearly  all  our  mission  churches  are  growing  into  a 
wide  benevolence,  and  are  taking  up  almost  all  departments  of  denomina- 
tional work.  When  one  of  these  churches  becomes  self-sustaining  it 
will  be  found  in  hearty  and  helpful  accord  with  the  great  enterprises  in 
which  we,  as  a  denomination,  are  engaged.  The  last  year  has  prob- 
ably been  more  markedly  successful  than  any  previous  year  in  our  history. 
If  there  is  a  decrease  in  some  missionary  receipts,  it  is  more  than  made 
up  by  gifts  to  other  benevolences  and  to  the  work  of  Christian  education. 
Really,  the  year  has  been  crowned  with  success  of  the  best  possible  type 
for  the  future  intelligent  occupancy  of  this  great  Northwest. 

The  call  is  for  more  work  and  more  men,  but  how?  That  the  field  is 
growing  and  making  greater  demands  upon  us  is  evident  to  all.  Year 
by  year  this  must  be  increasingly  so  if  we  are  faithful.  We  can  do  more 
v.'ork  on  the  field  the  coming  year  than  ever  before  with  the  force  we 
now  have,  but  this  is  not  enough.  We  must  bring  several  new  men  to  the 
help  of  the  present  faithful  corps.  It  can  be  done.  This  State,  this  Con- 
vention, is  stronger  to  do  for  God  than  ever  before.  We  urge  a  forward 
movement  from  this  day. 

J.  C.  Baker,  Superintendent  of  Missions. 

There  were  three  elements  of  discord  operating  conjointly  in  this 
meeting: 

First,  a  faction  that  was  not  pleased  with  the  Superintendent  of 
Missions,  ostensibly  because  he  would  not  take  sides  with  some 
excluded  members  of  two  of  the  mission  churches  against  the 
churches  themselves  and  their  missionary  pastors,  since  the  stiper- 
intendent  held  that  the  action  of  a  mission  church  was  final,  the 
same  as  that  of  any  other  church,  until  it  was  proved  in  error  through 
ordinary  and  accepted  denominational  precedents. 

Secondly,  what  seems  from  this  viewpoint  to  have  been  an  unwise 
and  unsafe  proceeding  of  the  executive  committee  of  the  Puget  Soimd 
Association  in  transferring  to  the  Convention  from  the  discontented 
element  of  that  Association,  a  trouble  which  they  had  taken  to  that 
Association   for   adjustment   the   previous  year,   and   through   which 


ATTACK   UPON    THE  OFFICE  OF  THE   SUPERINTENDENT     49 

they  succeeded  in  having  the  delegates  who  were  properly  accredited 
to  the  Association  by  one  of  the  mission  churches,  viz.,  the  First 
Tacoma  Church,  rejected,  an  account  of  which  appears  in  the  history 
of  that  church  in  this  volume. 

Thirdly,  there  had  always  been  a  few  of  the  "  Old  Landmark  " 
brethren  who  had  kept  up  a  passive  opposition  to  the  methods  of  the 
mission  work,  partly  because  of  their  convictions,  and  partly,  perhaps, 
because  most  of  the  churches  of  their  faith  had  been  so  securely  caught 
in  the  missionary  net  and  were  earnest  supporters  of  the  Convention's 
missionary  work.  Just  at  this  time  too,  there  had  come  upon  the 
field  several  men  of  extreme  Landmark  views,  who  were  openly  de- 
claring their  opposition  to  the  whole  plan  of  missionary  work.  So 
far  as  this  element  was  present,  it  affiliated  with  the  other  two. 

These  three  elements  made  a  strong,  and  not  less  strange,  com- 
bination, as  unexpected  by  the  Convention  Board  and  by  the  Super- 
intendent of  Missions  as  the  results  of  the  action  of  the  elements 
were  to  themselves  afterward.  The  first  move  made  by  the  combina- 
tion was  to  strike  out  a  complimentary  passage  in  the  report  of  the 
Convention  Board,  referring  to  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  Superintendent  of 
Missions.  The  passage  was  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Reports  of 
Boards.  This  committee  made  the  following  report,  which  was 
adopted  by  the  Convention,  and  appears  in  the  minutes: 

REPORT   OF   COMMITTEE  ON   REPORTS   OF   BOARDS 

Your  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  reports  of  the  Missionary 
Board  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  and  the  Executive  Committee  of  the 
Puget  Sound  Baptist  Association,  would  beg  leave  to  submit  the  following 
recommendations,  viz. : 

1.  That  the  part  of  the  report  of  the  Oregon  Board,  which  reads  as 
follows :  "  We  desire  also  to  express  our  high  appreciation  of  the  prompt 
and  vigorous  efforts  made  in  behalf  of  our  work,  by  their  Superintendent 
of  Missions,  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  and  also  for  the  faithful  and  efficient 
manner  in  which  he  has  served  as  corresponding  and  financial  secretary  of 
this  Board,"  be  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows :  "  We  desire  also  to  ex- 
press our  high  appreciation  of  the  Superintendent  of  Missions,  Rev.  J.  C. 
Baker,  for  the  faithful  and  efficient  manner  in  which  he  has  served  as 
corresponding  and  financial  secretary  of  this,  the  Oregon  Board  for  the 
conventional  year." 

2.  That  the  part  of  the  report  of  the  Puget  Sound  Board  which  reads 
as  follows :  "  Influenced,  we  believe,  by  our  Superintendent  of  Missions," 
be  stricken  out. 

3.  Your  committee  would  further  recommend  that  as  one  of  the 
principal  questions  involved  in  the  afternoon  discussion,  is  the  advis- 
ability of  maintaining  the  office  of  Superintendent  of  Missions,  that  the 
Convention  name  an  hour  in  which  this  subject  may  be  considered  upon 
its  own  merits.  ^  j   Burchett.  Clmr,ita,t. 

The  next  move  was  as  follows : 

The  following  resolutions  were  introduced  by  Bro.  J.  N.  Pearcy: 

Whereas,  The  present  plan  of  co-operation  with  the  Home  Mission 
Society  has  expired ;  and  as  the  Home  Mission  Society  is  laboring  under 

D 


50  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

serious  financial  embarrassment,  which  has  resulted  in  the  material  reduc- 
tion of  amount  allowed  this  field;  and  as  the  stringency  of  the  times  in 
our  midst  has  increased  the  difficulty  of  raising  the  money  demanded  for 
our  work;  and  as  the  field  has  been  reduced  in  which  the  pro  rata  of 
expense  of  the  Superintendent  of  Missions  has  to  be  raised,  thereby  doub- 
ling the  amount  required  from  this  field ;  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  we  express  our  gratitude  for  the  interest  taken  by  the 
Home  Mission  Society  in  the  work  on  this  Convention  field;  and  that  we 
desire  the  continuation  of  the  present  plan  of  co-operation :  provided, 

First,  that  we  are  assured  that  the  judgment  of  the  local  Boards 
shall  have  due  weight  as  to  all  appointments  made. 

Secondly,  that,  as  a  Convention,  we  be  relieved  of  the  expense  of  the 
Superintendent  of  Missions ;  believing  that  this  amount  will  be  more 
wisely  expended  in  the  employment  of  a  general  missionary  for  each 
district,  who  shall  reside  within  its  limits,  thereby  being  more  thoroughly 
conversant  with  its  wants  and  resources ;  who,  acting  in  concord  with  the 
District  Board  shall,  for  his  district,  do  the  work  of  the  Superintendent  of 
Missions. 

After  discussion  by  Brethren  Rugg,  Barbour,  MacLafferty,  Traver, 
Taylor,  Brownson,  Pearcy,  Baker,  Tolman,  Hobart,  and  others,  the 
resolutions  were  adopted. 

Adjourned  after  prayer  by  Doctor  Tolman. 

The  next  move  in  this  connection  was  the  following: 

Your  committee  appointed  to  draft  resolutions  respecting  Rev.  J.  C. 
Baker,  Superintendent  of   Missions,  reported  as  follows : 

We,  your  committee  appointed  to  prepare  resolutions  with  reference 
to  the  work  of  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  as  Superintendent  of  Missions,  beg  leave 
to  report  the  following : 

Whereas,  The  course  of  circumstances  renders  it  probable  that  the 
relations  of  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker  to  this  Convention,  as  Superintendent  of 
Missions,  will  soon  terminate,  and 

Whereas,  During  the  years  past.  Brother  Baker  has  done  faithful  and 
efficient  work  in  organizing  and  strengthening  the  denominational  interests 
within  our  bounds;  therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  we  express  our  appreciation  of  his  fidelity  and  ear- 
nestness in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  his  office  during  those  years. 

Resolved,  That  we  extend  to  Brother  Baker  our  best  wishes,  that  his 
labors  may  be  successful  in  whatsoever  field  of  Christian  effort  his  lot 

Rev.  E.  C.  Anderson,  D.  D., 
J.    N.    Pearcy, 

Committee. 

Adopted.  Secretary  was  instructed  to  forward  a  copy  to  Dr.  H.  L. 
Morehouse,  of  the  A.  B.   H.  M.  S. 

Meantime  the  Convention  had  taken  the  following  action,  lead- 
ing to  the  dissolution  of  the  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast: 

REPORT   OF   THE    COMMITTEE    ON    DIVISION    OF    CONVENTION    FIELD 

Your  committee  on  Division  of  the  Convention  Field  would  respect- 
fully report :  That  they  have  called  on  the  firm  of  Williams  &  Willis 
for  counsel.  Mr.  Willis,  after  hearing  a  full  statement  of  the  case, 
advised  that  the  legal  steps  necessary  to  be  taken  are :  "  That  the  various 


ATTACK   UPON   THE  OFFICE  OF  THE  SUPERINTENDENT     5 1 

districts  proceed  to  organize  and  incorporate  as  independent  Conventions, 
under  new  names,  and  the  old  corporation  be  given  proper  time  to  dispose 
of  its  business,  property,  etc.,  and  be  dissolved."  We  therefore  recom- 
mend that  the  three  districts  proceed  to  incorporate  under  such  names  as 
may  seem  to  them  most  suitable,  providing  that  no  one  of  the  districts 
shall  take  the  name  of  the  existing  Convention. 

Your  committee  would  further  recommend  that  the  Mission  Board  of 
the  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  be  instructed  to  ascer- 
tain the  amount  of  legacies  and  such  other  property  as  may  belong  to 
the  said  Convention,  and  to  take  all  preliminary  steps  necessary  to  a  final 
distribution  of  property  at  the  next  annual  meeting  of  this  body. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

D.  W.  C.  Britt,  Chairman. 

The  following  articles,  taken  from  the  Home  Mission  Monthly, 
under  the  various  dates  mentioned,  will  show  how  little  ground  there 
was  for  these  attacks  upon  the  Home  Mission  Society  and  its  repre- 
sentative. 

From  the  Home  Mission  Monthly  for  April,   1885: 

OUR    WORK    AND    OUR    WANTS    IN    THE    NORTH     PACIFIC    FIELD 

By  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  Salem,  Ore.,  Superintendent  of  Missions 

In  connection  with  my  quarterly  report,  I  beg  leave  to  submit  the 
following  statements  touching  the  work  on  my  field  during  the  Convention 
year  ending  with  October,  1884 : 

1.  That  the  generous  aid  granted  by  the  society,  both  in  the  support 
of  missionaries  and  in  the  erection  of  houses  of  worship,  is  everywhere 
acknowledged  and  appreciated,  and  the  embarrassment  of  the  society 
lamented  and  grieved  over  for  want  of  ability  to  aid  in  relieving  the 
same. 

2.  That  the  enlargement  of  the  work  on  this  field  has  been  a  necessity. 
The  Board  could  have  done  nothing  less.  Eight  new  men  have  been  put 
on  as  many  important  fields,  six  of  the  eight  in  county-seats,  and  the 
other  two  at  points  not  less  important.  The  population  of  these  eight 
towns  and  cities  are  respectively  as  follows :  One  thousand  two  hundred  at 
Roseburg;  one  thousand  five  hundred  at  Eugene,  with  State  University; 
three  thousand  at  Albany ;  one  thousand  five  hundred  at  Pendleton,  with 
Indian  reservation  adjoining;  New  Westminster,  B.  C,  three  thousand, 
with  insane  asylum,  penitentiary,  etc.,  where  Bro.  Robert  Lennie  is  to 
finally  locate ;  Victoria,  B.  C,  with  ten  thousand  population  and  the 
provincial  capital.  All  these  are  county-seats.  The  other  two  are.  La 
Grande,  with  a  population  of  one  thousand  two  hundred,  and  East  Portland, 
with  a  population  of  six  thousand.  To  have  left  these  fields  unoccupied, 
and  not  to  have  brought  these  eight  men  to  this  country,  who  were  ready 
to  come,  but  each  of  whom  could  have  settled  in  the  East  upon  as 
large  or  larger  salary,  and  so  have  saved  the  expense  attending  a  journey 
across  the  continent  (less  what  the  Board  allowed  them  as  traveling 
expenses),  would  have  been  the  greatest  stupidity,  and  both  your  agent 
and  the  Board  itself  would  have  subjected  themselves  to  the  severest 
criticism  by  the  society  and  the  denomination,  upon  failure  to  possess, 
by  occupancy,  these  fields. 

3.  That  Astoria,  with  a  population  of  seven  thousand,  county-seat, 
with  from  one  to  two  thousand  Chinese  population,  now  has  its  house 
closed  for  want  of  a  pastor.  That  Corvallis,  another  county-seat  with  a 
population  of  two  thousand,  where  we  have  lots  and  a  foundation  for  a 


52         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

house  laid,  is  still  without  a  man  to  take  up  the  work.  That  Empire  City, 
a  county-seat  of  nine  hundred  population,  where  the  largest  lumber  mill 
on  the  coast  is  in  process  of  erection,  has  no  man.  That  Yaquina,  county- 
seat  and  terminus  of  a  railroad,  with  good  harbor  on  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
has  no  man.  These  in  Oregon,  also  the  Portland  Scandinavian  Mission 
has  no  man,  nor  one  missionary  among  the  German  population  in  Oregon. 
Then,  in  Washington  Territory'  is  Port  Townsend,  a  port  of  entry — • 
with  full-manned  custom-house,  very  important,  and  no  missionary, 
population  one  thousand  five  hundred ;  Sprague,  county-seat,  and  end  of 
a  division  of  Northern  Pacific  Railway,  with  extensive  car  shops  and  no 
missionary,  population  one  thousand  five  hundred.  All  these  and  many 
more  of  lesser  importance,  and  j'et  of  great  importance,  are  open  and 
making  their  appeal  to-day,  and  I  have  letters  from  at  least  ten  good 
men  ready  to  come  and  occupy  the  most  important,  but  cannot  on  account 
of  the  strain,  emergency,  say  to  one  of  them.  "  Come." 

4.  I  desire  to  call  the  special  attention  of  the  Board  to  the  contributions 
to  the  work  on  my  field  for  the  year  in  question.  And  first:  About 
seventy  of  the  one  hundred  and  two  churches  reported  in  this  year's 
minutes  are  in  Oregon.  At  least  one-half  of  these  are  largely  under  the 
control  of  the  old  "  Missouri  Element,"  who  have  little  sympathy  with 
our  mission  work,  and  many  of  them  actually  opposing  it;  and  yet,  taking 
my  whole  field,  ninety-three  of  the  one  hundred  and  two  churches  are 
credited  with  contributions  for  the  j'ear  ending  with  October.  The  rate 
per  capita  from  the  entire  membership  of  my  field,  paid  home  mis- 
sions, for  the  year  ending  with  October,  is  $1.17.  The  rate  for  Oregon 
being  ninety-seven  cents ;  for  western  Washington  and  British  Columbia, 
$1.95;  and  for  eastern  Washington  and  northern  Idaho,  $2.05.  This  tells 
its  own  tale  both  for  the  interest  and  generosity  of  our  people  in  the 
home  mission  work,  and  the  fidelity  of  your  agent  upon  the  field,  to  whom 
has  been  committed  almost  wholly  the  work  of  raising  funds.  This  last 
I  would  not  have  mentioned,  only  my  field  is  so  far  from  you  all,  and  from 
the  general  secretary,  that  your  eyes  are  never  upon  it  or  upon  the  work 
I  am  doing.  I  have  tapped  every  barrel  on  my  field,  and  most  of  them 
have  run  dry.  Some  were  empty  before  being  tapped,  and  a  few  clogged 
the  faucet  with  mother  and  stopped  the  vent.  Notwithstanding  the  hard 
times,  my  field  has  yielded  $1,629.85  more  than  the  previous  year,  for 
which  I  thank  God  and  take  courage.  For  many  months  I  have  not  known 
where  to  look  for  or  expect  the  money,  and  still,  to  my  great  surprise, 
during  the  quarter  ending  with  December,  1884,  I  have  raised  the  largest 
amount  ever  before  raised  during  a  single  quarter,  I  believe,  namely 
$1,138.17,  besides  some  amounts  which  have  gone  to  the  society  direct 
from  some  of  the  districts  and  missionaries. 

5.  I  shall  do  everything  possible  to  reduce  expenses  until  the  crisis 
passes.  I  enclose  my  last  appeal  to  the  missionaries  of  my  field,  also  to 
the  churches.  I  have  not  responses,  as  yet,  that  will  justify  any  state- 
ment as  to  expectation  of  results.  I  can  only  trust  God  and  pray  for  his 
blessing.  I  feel  confident,  however,  that  a  basis  of  retrenchment  will  have 
to  be  fixed  by  the  Board  itself. 

6.  Our  work  was  never  more  hopeful  than  at  the  present  time;  our 
field  never  so  well  manned ;  our  ministry  never  standing  better  or  more 
influential  and,  barring  the  depression  that  forbids  the  society  going 
forward,  greater  results  could  be  reached  the  next  year  than  ever  before. 
If  our  churches  all  through  the  East  would  do  as  much  per  capita  as  we 
have  on  this  field,  we  could  pay  up  the  debt  and  greatly  enlarge  the  work. 

From  the  Home  Mission  Monthly  for  November,  1885.  Written 
before  the  Portland  meeting: 


ATTACK   UPON   THE  OFFICE  OF   THE   SUPERINTENDENT     53 
NORTH     PACIFIC    COAST 

By  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  Superintendent  of  Missions 

The  building  of  church  edifices  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast  has  been 
one  of  the  prime  sources  of  growth  and  strength  to  our  denomination. 
The  number  has  been  increased  nearly  threefold  in  eight  years.  In  1877 
there  were  but  twenty-two  houses  of  worship  belonging  to  our  churches. 
Now  we  have  sixty,  valued  at  $225,000  (including  lots),  furnishing  ten 
thousand  sittings.  The  Home  Mission  Society  has  aided  in  building 
twenty-six  of  these  houses,  valued  at  $76,400,  and  furnishing  four 
thousand  sittings.  To  secure  this  property  the  society  has  donated  $8,725, 
an  average  of  $335.57  per  church.  In  most  of  these  houses  we  have 
good  pastors,  preaching  to  good  congregations,  with  Sunday-schools,  and 
there  is  prospect  of  building  permanent  and  self-sustaining  churches  at 
nearly  every  point.  Wo  have  fifty  houseless  Baptist  churches  in  this  field. 
Not  one  of  them  can  ever  become  strong  or  self-sustaining  without  a 
house  of  its  own.  Churches  waste  one-half  their  labor  while  boarding  out, 
or  renting,  or  holding  service  in  a  schoolhouse. 

In  all  southern  Oregon  we  have  had  two  houses  of  worship.  The  area 
is  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  by  two  hundred  miles,  with  a  railroad 
running  through  its  center,  soon  to  be  connected  with  San  Francisco. 
From  Medford,  a  town  of  one  year's  growth,  with  six  hundred  people, 
where  a  Baptist  church  has  recently  been  organized,  while  I  write  the  cry 
comes  for  help  to  build  a  church.  This  is  the  second  town  in  the  famous 
Rogue  River  Valley.  To  build  now  means  permanent  work,  and  a  self- 
sustaining  church  not  many  years  hence.     This  is  but  one  of  many. 

Victoria,  British  Columbia,  with  a  claim  to  fourteen  thousand  popula- 
tion, is  now  building  with  promise  of  $500  from  the  society.  The  pastor 
writes :  "  We  can  go  ahead  if  we  can  have  that  amount  promised.  If  not, 
wt  cannot."  They  are  going  ahead;  who  will  furnish  the  $500?  A 
Rochester  graduate  of  fine  al)ilities  and  good  business  habits  is  leading  the 
enterprise.  A  revival  has  recently  occurred  and  twenty  added — more 
would  have  come  in  had  they  a  house  of  their  own. 

So  at  New  Westminster.  They  worship  in  the  courthouse,  with  li- 
ability to  constant  interruption.  A  revival  here  too,  under  a  Baptist 
evangelist,  held  in  the  M.  E.  church,  because  the  Baptists  had  none,  left 
fruit  ungathered,  and  sheaves  went  into  other  barns  because  the  Baptists 
had  no  garner.  Here  too  we  have  a  good  man,  watching  also  the  ter- 
minus of  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railroad.  But  they  cannot  go  ahead  without 
help.  From  three  to  five  hundred  each  would  secure  ten  new  houses  on 
this  field,  where  greatly  needed,  within  twelve  months.  Puget  Sound, 
eastern  Oregon,  western  Oregon,  southern  Oregon,  eastern  Washington, 
and  northern  Idaho,  all  make  their  plea,  and  each  presses  its  case  with 
almost  irresistible  arguments. 

From  the  Home  Mission  Monthly   for  May,   1886: 

NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  Superintendent  of  Missions 

The  year  ending  April  i,  1886,  will  be  marked  as  a  year  of  great  trial 
to  the  mission  work  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  on 
the  North  Pacific  Coast. 

I.  A  trial  of  faith.  At  the  beginning  of  the  year,  "  Retrenchment  of 
thirty  per  cent "  was  announced  as  necessary  in  the  expenditures  upon 
the  fields,  caused  by  the  great  debt  upon  the  society.  This  too.  when 
there  was  an  immediate  and  almost  imperative  call  for  the  enlargement 
of  our  work  fifty  per  cent. 


54  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

2.  A  test  of  the  real  missionary  spirit  among  our  people.  An  ever- 
increasing  demand,  and  a  diminished  treasury  from  which  to  feed  the 
hungry  thousands  calling  for  the  bread  of  life  on  the  destitute  fields,  with 
a  probability  that  some  missionaries  would  have  to  be  dismissed  and 
others  suffer  a  reduction  in  their  already  too  scanty  salaries,  put  to  a 
lively  test  the  spirit  of  self-denial  and  consecration  underlying  all  mission 
work. 

3.  It  will  be  marked  as  a  year  of  trial  of  principles  and  methods  of 
work.  The  fact  that  "  retrenchment "  means  opening  no  new  fields,  and 
inability  to  carry  out  plans  already  laid  to  strengthen  the  work  at  various 
points  and  in  various  districts,  caused  some  to  feel  that  they  were 
neglected,  the  restless  to  feel  more  uneasy,  the  ambitious  to  change  their 
tactics,  the  faultfinders  to  grow  more  outspoken.  The  fusion  of  all 
these  resulted  in  challenging  the  principles  underlying  the  methods  pre- 
vailing for  many  years  in  the  work  of  the  society  in  the  great  West,  and 
a  demand  for  a  radical  change. 

Yet  the  year  will  be  recognized  as  one  of  marked  prosperity  in  our 
work.  God  has  greatly  helped  us.  When  we  have  stood  in  fear,  he  has 
given  strength  and  courage  to  go  forward.  Five  of  our  mission  churches 
have  become  self-sustaining,  so  far  at  least  as  to  carry  on  their  work 
without  aid  from  the  society;  all  our  mission  churches  are  doing  more 
for  the  support  of  the  pastors  and  asking  less  from  the  society ;  nearly  all 
our  mission  churches  are  growing  into  a  wide  benevolence,  and  are  taking 
up  almost  all  departments  of  denominational  work.  Revivals  have  been 
frequent,  and  many  souls  have  been  won  to  Christ.  In  all  healthful,  per- 
manent growth,  the  year  has  been  marked  as  one  of  the  most  prosperous 
of  the  past;  and  the  fact  that  home  mission  principles  and  methods  are 
under  discussion  will  result  in  more  intelligent  appreciation  of  the  long- 
established  methods  of  the  society's  work. 

THE    COMING    YEAR 

The  work  is  growing,  immigration  is  increasing,  the  open  fields  are 
becoming  more  numerous  and  more  hopeful,  the  calls  for  aid  are  more 
pressing.  Year  by  year  this  must  be  increasingly  so  if  we  are  faithful, 
since  success  in  mission  work  means  enlargement.  The  more  there  is 
done  the  more  must  be  done  until  North  America  is  given  to  Christ. 
Loyalty  to  Christ  demands  that  we  enter  these  open  fields.  The  managers 
of  the  society  are  only  showing  their  loyalty  to  Jesus  Christ  by  doing  it. 
Loyalty  to  the  great  denomination  whose  principles  we  love  also  demands 
it  of  them;  and  loyalty  to  Christ  Jesus  by  the  denomination  would  put 
the  money  into  the  treasury  to  carry  it  forward  without  embarrassment. 
Either  we  must  stop  praying,  "  Thy  kingdom  come,"  or  we  must  enter 
these  open  fields  or  suffer  the  reproach  of  disloyalty  to  him  who  has 
commanded,  "  Go  ye, "  and  has  said,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you." 

FOREIGN    POPULATION 

The  foreign  population  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast  numbers  nearly 
fifty  thousand.  Of  these  there  are  belonging  to  the  Scandinavians  about 
fifteen  thousand.  These  are  widely  scattered,  and  quite  a  large  per  cent 
of  them  are  settled  in  the  rural  districts,  making  new  homes.  Many 
times  they  are  found  scattered  among  the  native  population;  but  more 
frequently  in  settlements  of  their  own,  bordering  on  or  some  distance 
removed  from  the  American  settlements,  sometimes  only  a  few  families,  at 
other  times  enough  to  make  a  good  congregation,  can  be  gathered  from 
the  same  settlement  where  they  compose  the  principal  element  among 
the  settlers.     In  these  settlements  missionaries  are  always  welcome.    And 


ATTACK   UPON   THE  OFFICE  OF  THE  SUPERINTENDENT     55 

it  does  not  make  so  much  difference  who  they  are,  or  what  faith,  if  they 
come  to  visit  them  and  do  them  good.  Itinerant  missionaries  among  this 
class  are  very  much  needed.  For  Baptists  there  is  a  demand  for  at  least 
two  missionaries  of  this  kind  to-day,  and  with  such  help  the  foundation 
might  be  laid  for  many  prosperous  Baptist  churches  in  the  future,  as 
there  is  little  doubt  but  this  quiet,  industrious,  and  frugal  people,  will  grow 
to  be  thriving,  intelligent,  and  wealthy  communities. 

In  some  of  the  larger  towns  and  cities  there  is  a  larger  number  of  these 
people  settled.  But  these  hard  times,  rendering  it  difficult  to  find  employ- 
ment, are  sending  still  larger  numbers  of  them  out  to  take  up  homes  on 
the  unoccupied  territory  offered  them  by  the  government.  To  the  extent  this 
is  true  it  gives  emphasis  to  the  need  of  itinerant  mission  work.  Among 
those  thus  going  are  frequently  the  members  of  our  little  churches 
gathered  in  the  towns  and  cities,  which,  while  it  weakens  the  churches, 
makes  the  call  for  itinerant  work  still  more  emphatic,  for  these  who 
have  tasted  the  good  word  of  life  are  constantly  sending  their  appeals  for 
the  only  two  missionaries  we  have  employed  among  this  people,  to  come 
and  preach  Jesus  to  their  countrymen.  These  calls  are  being  answered 
as  far  as  possible,  but  the  long  and  often  expensive  journey,  coupled  with 
extraordinary  demands  upon  their  time  nearer  their  centers  of  operation 
forbids  answering  these  calls  to  a  great  extent.  The  two  men  referred  to 
are  Rev.  N.  Hayland,  now  pastor  of  the  Scandinavian  Baptist  Church  of 
Portland,  Ore.,  and  Rev.  Knut  Nelson,  pastor  of  the  Scandinavian  Baptist 
churches  at  Tacoma  and  Seattle,  W.  T.  Both  these  men  are  favorably 
located  for  reaching  their  people,  and  are  doing  good  and  faithful  work 
for  them  to  the  extent  of  their  ability. 

In  Portland  and  vicinity  the  Scandinavian  population  reaches  about 
three  thousand  five  hundred.  There  are  churches  among  them :  Lutheran, 
two;  Methodist,  one;  Baptist,  one.  There  are  six  Scandinavian  Lutheran 
ministers  of  various  types.  In  Tacoma,  W.  T.,  where  Brother  Nelson  is 
located,  there  are  about  four  hundred  Scandinavians  with  two  Lutheran, 
one  each  of  Baptist,  Methodist,  and  Congregational  churches  among  them. 
All  have  houses  of  worship.  In  Seattle  there  are  about  six  hundred 
Scandinavians  with  three  churches,  namely,  Lutheran,  Baptist,  and  Meth- 
odist, each  having  a  house  of  worship.  Brother  Nelson  has  recently 
baptized  three  at  Tacoma  and  three  at  Seattle. 

In  October  last.  Brother  Nelson  was  urged  by  his  countrymen  to  visit 
a  settlement  sixteen  miles  from  Westport  on  the  Columbia  River,  the 
post-office  address  Vesper,  Ore.  He  visited  the  place,  found  a  good 
settlement  and  organized  a  church  of  seven  members,  who  are  holding 
regular  services.  This  place  is  located  about  fifty  miles  from  Portland. 
On  the  same  day  he  also  visited  La  Center,  also  about  fifty  miles  from 
Portland,  where  he  found  about  two  hundred  Scandinavians,  with  six 
Baptists,  and  where  a  church  ought  soon  to  be  gathered.  In  performing 
this  service  he  had  to  travel  about  four  hundred  miles,  on  an  expensive 
route  of  travel.  His  salary  is  small.  The  society  pays  him  $450  per  year, 
and  he  is  receiving  only  about  $20  per  quarter  from  the  field.  The  people 
are  very  poor.  Many  of  them  have  neither  money  nor  work,  and  only 
now  and  then  one  who  has  steadj'  employment.  Last  winter  Brother 
Nelson  paid  out  of  his  own  scanty  salary  over  $30  to  poor  people,  and 
this  winter  the  demand  has  been  equally  great,  if  not  more  pressing. 
Brother  Hayland's  salary  is  but  little  more,  and  the  demand  upon  him 
will  be  equally  great.  From  Portland  he  can  probably  look  after  La  Center 
and  other  points.  But  at  Astoria,  where  there  is  a  Scandinavian  popula- 
tion of  some  hundreds,  a  man  could  be  located  with  great  advantage  to  our 
cause,  and  be  made  a  great  blessing  to  his  people  there  and  along  both 
sides  of  the  Columbia  River,  in  Oregon  and  Washington.  So  in  Coos 
County,  in  southwestern  Oregon,  another  man  is  needed  to  locate  at 
Marshfield,  the  county-seat,  where  there  are  about  three  hundred  Scandi- 


56         BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

navians,  and  where,  with  other  towns  and  settlements  a  large  Scandina- 
vian population  could  be  reached.  These  are  the  two  open  fields  now 
waiting  for  occupancy  by  the  Baptists. 

From   the  Home  Mission   Monthly   for   June,    1886: 

NORTH     PACIFIC    COAST    DISTRICT 

Rev.  J,  C.  Baker,  Salem,  Ore.,  Superintendent  of  Missions 

My  field  embraces  Oregon,  Washington,  northern  Idaho,  and  British 
Columbia,  containing  an  area  of  settlements  of  sixty  thousand  square 
miles. 

On  this  field  there  are  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  churches.  Of 
these,  eighty-four  are  in  Oregon,  thirty-five  in  Washington,  two  in  northern 
Idaho,  and  two  in  British  Columbia.  Of  these  churches  only  six  in 
Oregon  and  two  in  Washington  number  over  one  hundred  members — 
eight  in  all.  In  Washington  there  is  but  one  church  that  is  able  to  sustain 
a  pastor  all  the  time,  and  that  does  so,  namely,  the  First  Church,  Seattle. 
In  Oregon  there  are  but  six  churches  thus  supplied,  and  the  pastor  of  one 
of  these.  The  Dalles  Church,  has  to  combine  business  with  the  amount  paid 
by  the  church  to  make  up  his  salary. 

There  are  in  Oregon  five  churches  having  a  pastor  one-half  the  time, 
about  forty  having  preaching  once  a  month.  The  others  are  either  in 
charge  of  our  missionaries  or  are  destitute,  except  as  visited  by  the  super- 
intendent or  pastors. 

In  western  Washington  (west  of  the  Cascades),  there  are  ten 
churches  having  preaching  once  a  month,  two  one-half  the  time,  two  all 
the  time.  The  others  are  either  supplied  by  our  missionaries  or  are 
destitute,  except  as  they  are  visited  and  encouraged  by  the  general  mis- 
sionary of  the  Puget  Sound  Association,  the  superintendent,  or  pastors. 

In  eastern  Washington,  northern  Idaho,  and  British  Columbia,  all 
are  either  under  our  missionaries  or  are  destitute,  except  as  visited  by 
the  superintendent  or  pastor. 

Of  the  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  churches  on  my  field,  one  hun- 
dred and  three  are  represented  in  the  offerings  to  home  missions.  Of 
these,  seventy-two  are  in  Oregon,  twenty-eight  in  Washington,  two  in 
British  Columbia,  and  one  in  Idaho.  The  total  contribution  to  home 
missions  was  $4,043.81 ;  the  previous  year,  $4,412.51 ;  the  year  before  that, 
$2,620.14  (Convention  fiscal  years).  The  amounts  collected  last  year 
were  distributed  over  the  field:  in  Oregon,  $2,318.96;  eastern  Washington 
and  northern  Idaho  district,  $907;  western  Washington  and  British 
Columbia  district,  $817.85  (Puget  Sound  fiscal  year). 

The  society  has  had  under  employment  all  or  part  of  the  year,  on 
this  field  twenty-five  men.  They  have  supplied  part  or  all  of  the  time 
thirty-four  churches,  forty-two  outstations,  besides  general  missionary 
work.  They  report  two  hundred  and  three  baptisms,  one  hundred  and 
ninety-five  otherwise  received,  and  three  hundred  and  seventy-eight  con- 
versions. The  total  membership  of  the  mission  churches  is  one  thousand 
four  hundred  and  sixty-two.  These  churches  have  paid  on  salary, 
$6,803.10.  The  society  has  paid,  including  expense  of  superintendent. 
$11,470.80.  Total  expense  of  the  work,  $18,198.90.  These  missionaries 
have  raised  from  this  field  for  various  objects  as  follows :  Home  missions. 
$1,296,35;  foreign  missions,  $383.44;  Publication  Society,  $134.97;  Sunday- 
schools,  $677.92;  church  building,  $3,203;  for  repairs,  $1,404.61;  other 
objects,  $1,505.27;  total,  $15,408.66.  Only  one  house  of  worship  has  been 
built  during  the  year,  and  one  other  commenced.  There  are  forty-seven 
churches  needing  help  to  sustain  pastors ;  nineteen  fields  where  churches 
ought   to  be   built,   and   could   be   with    a    little   help    from   the   Church 


ATTACK  UPON  THE  OFFICE  OF  THE   SUPERINTENDENT     57 

Edifice  Fund ;  seventeen  fields  needing  itinerant  missionaries ;  twenty- 
three  churches  could  be  organized  at  once,  had  we  general  and  itinerant 
missionaries  to  do  the  work.  Four  churches  have  ceased  drawing  aid 
from  the  society ;  but  in  one  of  these  the  pastor  has  combined  preaching 
with  farming,  and  in  another  with  business,  to  help  out  his  salary,  only 
two  churches  are  actually  paying  the  whole  salary. 

There  are  needed  on  this  field  for  immediate  work  forty-three  men. 
There  are  not  now  on  this  field  seven  available  men  not  employed. 

The  foreign  population  numbers  over  fifty  thousand,  and  we  have  but 
three  men  working  among  them,  and  only  five  churches  all  told — one 
German  and  four  Scandinavian,  and  one  Chinese  mission. 

Your  superintendent  has  visited  fifty  churches,  made  extensive  ex- 
amination of  the  field,  aided  in  five  protracted  meetings ;  attended  seven 
Associations,  two  Conventions ;  preached  ninety-five  sermons ;  delivered 
forty-four  addresses ;  attended  seventy-one  prayer  meetings ;  made  one 
hundred  and  seventy  religious  visits ;  and  traveled  fourteen  thousand  two 
hundred  and  fifty-one  miles.  There  have  been  about  forty  conversions 
under  my  preaching.  I  have  paid  for  traveling  expenses,  $191.50; 
stationery  and  printing,  $46.10;  postage,  $36.85;  express,  thirty  cents; 
telegrams,  $12.45;  salary,  $1,500;  total  expense,  $1,787.20. 

I  have  given  much  of  my  time  the  past  year  to  mission  work,  as 
well  as  to  the  special  work  of  my  office.  The  year  has  been  very  difficult 
financiall}'.  The  retrenchment  has  prevented  putting  new  men  on  the  field, 
or  opening  new  fields.  But  this  will  not  do  for  the  year  to  come.  The 
field  is  opening  to  Baptists  as  never  before.  A  score  of  fields  are  waiting 
and  asking  for  Baptist  occupancy.  To  be  equal  to  the  full  demand,  fifty 
more  men  ought  to  be  employed — twenty-five  we  must  look  for  the  coming 
year. 

It  is  due  the  Home  Mission  Society  that  these  elaborate  quotations, 
written  before  and  after  the  meeting  of  the  North  Pacific  Convention 
held  in  Portland  in  October,  1885,  should  become  matters  of  permanent 
historical  record,  not  so  much  to  vindicate  the  action  of  its  officials,  as 
to  show  the  reasonableness  of  the  attack,  the  steady  hand  with  which 
the  society  upheld  its  policy  and  prosecuted  its  work  and  finally  brought 
order  out  of  the  chaotic  condition  into  which  the  Convention  had  plunged 
the  missionary  work  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast  by  its  unfortunate  and 
uncalled-for  withdrawal  from  co-operation. 


CHAPTER  X 

DISSOLUTION    OF   THE   CONVENTION    OF   THE   NORTH 

PACIFIC  COAST 

1886 

A  sad  record.  Untimely  demise.  Officials  recognized.  Pathetic  report.  Raised 
debt.  Adjourned  sine  die.  Loss  and  gain.  Reorganization  in  Oregon.  Organization 
in  eastern  Washington. 

This  is  the  record  of  the  last  year  of  the  existence  of  the  Conven- 
tion of  the  North  Pacific  Coast ;  and  its  demise  would  have  been  most 
pathetic  had  the  Convention  had  a  soul.  By  its  own  vote,  it  had  cut 
itself  loose  from  both  its  support  and  its  guide.  Yet  the  Home  Mission 
Society  continued  its  Superintendent  of  Missions,  and  under  his  leader- 
ship, did  all  that  was  possible  on  the  field  formerly  under  the  control 
of  the  Convention;  but  the  Convention  as  such  had  no  part  in  the 
good  work  accomplished.  The  superintendent  constantly  recognized 
the  officials  of  the  different  districts.  The  Home  Mission  Society 
took  up  and  supported  all  the  missionaries  under  appointment  in  each 
of  the  districts.  The  superintendent  turned  over  all  amounts  col- 
lected by  him  to  the  Home  Mission  Society. 

The  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  met  for  its  tenth 
annual  session  with  the  church  at  Salem,  October  20,  1886.  After 
the  opening  exercises  and  the  enrolling  of  delegates,  the  Convention 
proceeded  to  consider  its  dissolution.  Pending  the  vote  upon  this 
question,  other  necessary  business  was  transacted,  and  the  report 
of  the  Mission  Board  was  read  by  the  secretary,  Rev.  J.  Q.  A.  Henry : 

In  presenting  our  annual  report  to  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the 
North  Pacific  Coast,  we  desire  first  of  all  to  record  our  gratitude  to  God 
for  the  unanimity  of  counsel  and  cordiality  of  fellowship  which  have 
prevailed  in  all  our  Board  meetings,  also  to  recognize  with  truest  ex- 
pressions of  thankfulness  the  goodness  and  grace  of  God  with  which  he 
has  crowned  the  Convention  year,  for,  notwithstanding  the  danger  and 
difficulty,  the  work  of  the  Lord  has  prospered  in  our  hands.  In  most  of 
our  churches  the  message  of  life  has  been  proclaimed  and  the  mandate 
of  mercy  has  been  accepted  to  the  salvation  of  sinners,  the  baptism  of 
believers,  the  restoration  to  fellowship  of  the  backslidden  in  heart,  and 
the  knowledge  and  comfort  of  saints. 

Secondly.  To  say  that  we  deplore  most  deeply  that  condition  of  de- 
nominational affairs,  by  reason  of  wliich  the  sphere  of  this  Board  has 
been  restricted  and  its  services  rendered  both  inefficient  and  useless. 
Throughout  the  entire  year  the  plan  of  co-operation  between  this  body 
and  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  has  been  discontinued. 
At  the  beginning  of  our  annual  work  we,  the  Oregon  District,  were  em- 
barrassed by  a  debt  to  the  New  York  Board,  amounting  to  $534.19,  not 
all  of  which,  we  regret  to  say,  has  yet  been  paid.     With  the  presence  of 

58 


DISSOLUTION  OF  CONVENTION  OF  NORTH  PACIFIC  COAST    59 

this  encumbrance,  the  discontinuance  of  the  plan  of  co-operation  with 
the  parent  society,  the  divided  sentiment  among  our  own  people  as  to  the 
method  and  management  of  our  work,  the  consequent  drying  up  of  the 
brooks  of  beneficence,  the  absence  of  an  agent  in  the  field  who  should 
personally  present  our  claims  both  to  individuals  and  churches,  while  the 
attention  of  the  missionary  churches  has  very  naturally  been  directed  to 
the  representative  of  the  Home  Mission  Society,  the  prospect  of  a  speedy 
redistricting  of  our  Convention  field  and  the  reconstruction  of  our  de- 
nominational work  in  the  State,  with  these  things  we  have  found  our- 
selves not  only  powerless  to  enlarge  the  work  upon  the  field,  but  absolutely 
impotent  to  respond  to  the  touching  appeals  that  have  come  to  us  from 
churches  who  have  been  accustomed  to  receive  from  us  the  hand  of  help. 

Thirdly.  That  for  every  expression  of  interest,  in  provision  for,  or  liber- 
ality toward  this  body,  on  the  part  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mis- 
sion Society  in  all  the  years  now  gone,  we  forget  not  to  record  our 
honest  and  heartfelt  thanks.  The  retention  and  support  of  the  missionaries 
on  our  field  within  the  year  now  past,  should  awaken  gratitude  in  every 
loyal,  loving  heart,  and  with  this  peon  of  praise  we  would  fain  mingle  our 
prayers,  that  on  this  grand  old  society,  the  mother  of  us  all,  the  divinest 
blessings  of  the  great  Father  may  richly  and  forever  fall. 

Fourthly.  Out  of  a  debt  of  $534.19  to  the  New  York  Board  with  which 
to  begin  the  year,  the  treasurer's  report  will  show  a  balance  of  $172.13  as 
yet  unpaid.  By  personal  appeal,  private  correspondence,  and  access  to  the 
columns  of  the  Pacific  Baptist,  the  Board  has  vainly  tried  to  extinguish 
this  small  amount.  Until  our  debts  are  paid  we  should  never  resolve  to  die. 
Our  progeny  will  not  bless  us  for  bills  unpaid,  hence  our  urgent  appeal  is 
that  we  raise  this  deficit  here  and  now.  When  this  is  done  we  may 
adjourn,  but  until  then  we  recommend  that  no  such  motion  pass. 

In  conclusion,  and  for  the  future,  suffer  one  further  word.  Into 
whatever  relation  or  condition  our  coming  work  may  fall,  let  it  be 
our  highest  ambition,  happiest  thought,  and  holiest  endeavor,  "  with  all 
lowliness  and  meekness,  with  long-suflfering,  forbearing  one  another  in 
love,"  to  obtain  and  retain  the  unity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace. 

J.  Q.  A.  Henry,  Secretary. 
A.  J.  HuNSAKER,  Chairman. 

The  money  referred  to  in  the  report,  as  still  due  to  the  Home 
Mission  Society,  was  raised,  and  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the  North 
Pacific  Coast  adjourned  sine  die. 

WHAT  WAS  LOST  BY  THIS  ATTACK 

1.  The  unity  of  the  denomination  which,  up  to  this  time,  had  a 
widespread  influence  over  the  North  Pacific  Coast  as  a  corporate 
religious  body. 

2.  The  prestige  of  the  denomination  in  the  East,  which  had  been 
very  helpful  in  the  Convention  itself. 

3.  The  added  strength  that  comes  from  imion.  The  churches 
had  come  to  feel  that  in  union  there  was  strength,  and  almost  every 
church  and  district  had  realized  that  the  Convention  behind  it 
was  a  power  to  aid  it  when  help  was  needed,  and  a  reserve  force 
behind  the  self-sustaining  churches  to  assist  them  in  carrying  forward 
their  work  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  wider  fields  of  Christian 
effort. 


6o  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

4.  Some  of  the  Landmark  churches.  A  few  Landmarkers  in  Ore- 
gon, who  had  never  given  full  allegiance  to  the  Convention  work  and 
methods,  led  by  several  new  men  of  that  persuasion  who  had  recently 
come  to  this  field,  embraced  this  as  an  occasion  to  rally  their  forces. 
They  did  so,  and  finally  organized  a  Convention  of  that  faith.  This 
crippled  the  work  in  Oregon  for  some  years,  in  a  measure,  though 
they  carried  with  them  but  a  small  number  of  the  Landmark  churches. 

5.  A  favorite  project  had  to  be  relinquished.  The  Superintendent 
of  Missions  had  hoped  to  carry  into  effect  a  plan,  which  had  been  ap- 
proved by  both  the  Board  and  the  Convention,  to  purchase  lots  for 
church  and  parsonage  use,  in  the  new  towns  springing  up,  to  be  held 
by  the  Convention  Board  against  the  time  when  churches  could  be 
organized.  The  hard  times  which  had  so  generally  prevailed  had 
delayed  this  movement,  but  it  was  still  considered  by  the  superinten- 
dent and  influential  brethren  as  feasible,  up  to  the  time  of  the  meeting 
in  Portland  in  1885. 

REORGANIZATION  OF  THE  WORK  IN  OREGON 

On  June  9,  1886,  the  Oregon  brethren  met  in  McMinnville,  sixty- 
three  delegates  from  twenty  churches,  and  took  the  preliminary  steps 
to  organize  the  Oregon  Baptist  State  Convention.  An  organization 
was  effected,  and  the  Convention  adjourned  to  meet  at  Salem,  October 
21,  for  its  first  annual  meeting.  We  give  the  hopeful  report  of  its 
Home  Mission  Board  on  entering  upon  this  new  relation  to  home 
mission    work. 

REPORT   OF    HOME   MISSION    WORK 

In  making  our  first  report  to  this  body,  we  would  say  that  as  for 
the  past,  let  its  dead  bury  its  dead.  We  would  forget  the  things  that 
are  behind  and  press  forward  to  the  things  which  are  before.  As  to  our 
work   for  the   coming  year,   we   would  call   attention : 

First.  To  the  very  needy  and  important  fields  which  will  very 
naturally  look  to  us  for  aid.  Among  those  within  our  own  borders  may 
be  mentioned  Astoria,  Vancouver,  Portland,  Yaquina  Bay,  Roseburg, 
Marshfield,  and  many  others. 

Secondly.  That  to  provide  for  the  development  of  our  interest  at 
these  points,  not  to  mention  the  support  of  missionary  pastors  upon  our 
field,  will  require  very  large  and  prompt  contributions  from  all  our 
churches,  and  if  possible,  from  every  member  of  these  churches.  In 
this  connection  we  most  earnestly  recommend  that  every  pastor  and 
church  will  adopt  some  definite  plan  by  which  a  regular  and  propor- 
tionate offering  may  be  made  to  this  most  important  work;  also  that  a 
comm.ittee  of  three  be  appointed  by  this  body,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to 
prepare  a  report  on  systematic  giving  to  be  read  at  our  next  annual 
meeting. 

Thirdly.  That  we  are  not  without  gratifying  hope  that  co-operation 
with  this  body  on  the  part  of  the  New  York  Board  will  soon  be  received, 
and  that  too,  upon  a  basis  most  generous  and  satisfactorj'.  We  would 
suggest  that  this  matter  of  co-operation  with  the  Home  Mission  Society 
be  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  Board,  with  power  to  act. 

Fourthly.  That  in  accordance  with  the  request  for  State  representative 
of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  at  its  national  meeting, 


DISSOLUTION  OF  CONVENTION  OF  NORTH  PACIFIC  COAST  6  I 

held  at  Asbury  Park,  in  May,  1886,  three  delegates  from  this  Convention 
be  chosen  to  represent  us  in  the  next  national  anniversary  of  the  Home 
Mission  Society,  to  be  held  in  Minneapolis  during  May,  1887. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

J.  Q.  A.  Henry,  Secretary. 

The  following  delegates  to  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society  Anniversary  of  1887,  were  elected:  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  Rev. 
J.  Q.  A.  Henry,  Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg,  E.  G.  Wheeler,  and  Mrs.  E.  G. 
Wheeler,  who  were  instructed  to  fill  vacancies  in  the  delegation. 

The  eastern  Washington  and  northern  Idaho  district  had  never 
been  in  favor  of  dividing  the  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast 
at  so  early  a  date.  The  district  was  not  represented  at  the  meeting 
in  Portland  in  1885,  and  was  in  no  way  responsible  for  the  action 
there  taken.  When,  in  1883,  the  field  of  the  General  Convention  had 
been  divided  into  three  districts,  each  to  select  an  executive  com- 
mittee of  its  own  to  control  its  work,  the  eastern  district  acquiesced; 
but,  in  1884,  deeming  it  a  wiser  plan,  this  district  organized  a  con- 
vention for  eastern  Washington  and  northern  Idaho,  auxiliary  to  the 
Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  so  that  the  abrupt  dissolu- 
tion of  the  General  Convention  found  it  with  all  the  paraphernalia  of 
an  organized  Convention,  coming  into  existence  as  an  independent 
body,  and  ready  to  carry  forward  all  departments  of  its  work  after 
the  demise  of  the  parent  body.  The  eastern  district  had  no  contro- 
versy, either  with  the  Home  Mission  Society  or  its  agent;  and,  as 
this  was  recognized  by  the  Home  Mission  Society,  the  plans  of  work 
for  the  district  moved  on  without  any  revamping,  receiving  all  the  aid 
they  could  have  received  from  the  society  under  the  old  Convention. 

The  district  entered  the  new  life  of  an  independent  Convention 
with  twenty-two  churches,  fifteen  ministers,  six  hundred  and  forty- 
seven  members,  and  no  debt. 

We  quote  from  the  report  of  the  Mission  Board  to  the  Mount 
Pleasant  Association  in  1886: 

REPORT   ON    HOME    MISSIONS 

We,  your  Committee  on  Home  Missions,  would  report  as  follows : 

First.  We  desire  to  express  our  gratitude  to  God  for  the  signal 
blessing  and  favor  shown  to  our  society  in  the  effort  to  remove  the 
heavy  debt  that  has  so  long  rested  on  it,  but  which  is  now  entirely  pro- 
vided for. 

Secondly.  We  also  take  pleasure  in  giving  utterance  to  our  satisfac- 
tion that  Dr.  Henry  L.  Morehouse  has  been  continued  in  his  place  as 
corresponding  secretary  of  our  society,  and  we  confidently  believe  that  to 
his  wise  and  untiring  efforts  is  largely  due  the  growth  of  the  society's 
work. 

Thirdly.  We  are  also  glad  to  note  that  the  society  has  expressed  its 
appreciation  of  the  work  of  our  Superintendent  of  Missions  by  continuing 
him  in  his  present  office.  We  believe  that  a  continuance  of  his  super- 
vision will  insure  a  continuance  of  that  growth  and  development  which 
has  marked  our  work  during  these  past  few  years. 


62  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Fourthly.  For  the  purpose  of  enlarging  our  work  we  recommend  ( i ) 
that  a  committee  of  three  from  this  Association  be  appointed  with  whom 
Brother  Baker  can  confer  as  to  the  needs  of  the  field  and  the  supplying 
our  needs  by  the  settlement  of  pastors  or  the  appointment  of  missionaries ; 
(2)  that  a  solicitor  be  appointed  in  each  church  to  secure  money  for  the 
work,  such  solicitors  to  report  to  Brother  Baker  quarterly. 

We  are  pleased  to  learn  by  the  letters  from  the  churches  that  nearly 
all  have  reported  contributions  to  the  Home  Mission  Society,  and  would 
urge  on  the  churches  the  pressing  necessity  of  larger  contributions  to  the 
work  of  the  society,  and  especially  on  those  whose  contributions  have  been 
meager  and  below  what  they  should  be,  to  be  stimulated  by  the  liberality 
of  their  sister  churches  to  freer  offerings  and  larger  sacrifices  to  this 
department  of  Christian  work. 

We  recommend  that  on  Sunday  morning  a  sermon  on  Home  Missions 
be  preached  by  Pastor  Wooddy,  and  a  collection  and  pledges  be  taken  for 
the  society's  work. 

W.  H.  Phuett,  Chairman  of  Committee. 


CHAPTER  XI 

FIELD  OF  THE  PUGET  SOUND  ASSOCIATION 
1887 

Adieu.  Old  friends  part.  In  good  hands.  Greater  work.  Only  good  things  to 
remain.  Puget  Sound  Association  field.  Historical  status.  Financial  conditions  hope- 
ful. Report  of  Rev.  A.  B.  Burke,  D.  D.  General  missionary.  General  conditions 
outlined.      Association    to   divide. 

We  have  invaded  the  territory  of  the  Oregon  and  eastern  Wash- 
ington districts  in  this  historical  sketch,  because,  up  to  this  period, 
the  history  of  the  Baptists  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast  is  one  history, 
and  because  the  history  of  the  work  of  each  convention  growing  out 
of  the  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  is  included  in  that  of 
the  earlier  conventions  until  each  begins  its  separate  existence  in 
1887,  and  continues  the  great  work  on  its  separate  field.  Leaving 
Oregon  and  eastern  Washington  and  Idaho,  we  shall  now  confine 
ourselves  to  the  territory  of  the  Northwest  Convention,  the  British 
Columbia  Convention,  and  Alaska. 

The  history  of  the  Oregon  Baptist  State  Convention  and  of  the 
Baptist  Convention  of  Eastern  Washington  and  Northern  Idaho,  or, 
as  it  was  later  called,  western  Idaho,  will  pass  into  other  hands,  and 
will  doubtless  be  continued  with  ever-increasing  interest  until  each 
section  and  each  convention  shall  appoint  a  historian  to  preserve  its 
early  history  to  pass  into  permanent  usefulness  in  denominational 
life,  as  did  the  Philadelphia  Association  in  the  early  days  of  Baptist 
history  in  America.  If  the  work  is  placed  in  competent  and 
godly  hands,  the  denomination  will  rise  again  to  prosecute  the 
greater  work  accumulating  and  to  accumulate,  with  such  rapidity 
and  such  demands  as  to  tax  the  faith,  consecration,  and 
offerings  of  the  hosts  of  Baptists.  God  has  a  purpose  to  accompli-sh 
by  regeneration  in  this  most  marvelous  country.  The  denomina- 
tion will  not  again,  perhaps,  reach  the  unity  of  official  brotherhood 
contemplated  in  our  early  history  and  enjoyed  for  so  many  years; 
but  the  work  will  outgrow  the  discontent  of  those  days,  from 
whatever  source  it  arose,  because,  whatever  mistakes  have  been 
made,  the  foundations  of  the  work  itself  were  laid  in  the  imperish- 
able work  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  In  most  instances,  even  when 
brethren  have  been  at  fault,  they  have  still  done  some  good  work 
for  the  Lord  Jesus ;  and  it  should  be  entered  here,  as  a  conspicuous 
part  of  this  historical  narrative,  that  only  the  good  things  are  to  be 
retained  in  memory,  and  mistakes  recalled  only  to  prevent  their 
recurrence  in  the  future.  Almost  without  exception,  the  men  and 
women  who  were  at  the  head  of  this  great  work  in  the  seventies  and 

63 


64         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

eighties  stood  by  it  through  this  trying  ordeal  of  1885  '^"'i  afterward, 
never  wavering,  but  influential  and  helpful  as  before.  Without  their 
earnest  purpose  and  consecrated  devotion  this  story  could  not  have 
been  penned. 

In  1887  the  Puget  Sound  Association  still  covered  the  territory 
of  the  Northwest  Convention  and  the  British  Columbia  Convention 
of  to-day,  and  we  must  still  draw  our  historical  material  from  its 
minutes.  This  Association  was  still  in  the  throes  of  recent  events, 
and  we  must  look  for  its  historical  status  in  order  to  proceed  with 
the  narrative.  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  that  prince  of  missionaries,  had 
served  the  Association,  by  which  he  was  appointed  and  paid,  as 
general  missionary.  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  acting  in  harmony  with 
Brother  Banks,  was  Superintendent  of  Missions.  There  were  then 
nine  hundred  and  forty-one  church-members,  thirty  churches  (twenty- 
seven  in  Washington,  three  in  British  Columbia),  and  twenty-two 
ministers.  The  larger  and  more  central  churches  had  pastors,  as 
follows:  First  Seattle,  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce;  First  Tacoma,  Rev.  B.  S. 
McLafferty;  Puyallup,  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven;  Seattle  and  Tacoma 
Scandinavian,  Rev.  Knut  Nelson ;  LaConner,  Rev.  J.  G.  Pulliam ; 
Calvary,  Victoria,  B.  C,  Rev.  Walter  Barss;  Olivet,  New  West- 
minster, B.  C,  Rev.  Robert  Lennie;  Vancouver,  B.  C,  Rev.  J.  W. 
Daniels.  The  Second  Church,  Seattle,  reported  no  pastor,  but  was 
represented  ministerially  by  Rev.  R.  S.  Greene,  Supreme  Judge,  and 
by  Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow,  his  chief  clerk.  Both  of  these  ministers  and  the 
Second  Church  represented  the  extreme  "  Higher  Life  "  sentiment  of 
the  Association.  Mrs.  May  C.  Jones,  who  had  a  deserved  reputa- 
tion as  an  evangelist,  was  serving  the  Centralia  Church.  The 
Olympia  Church  was  pastorless.  Rev.  M.  M.  Lewis,  a  student,  was 
pastoral  supply  at  Winlock,  Salkun,  Rankin,  and  other  points.  As 
helpers  there  were  such  laymen  as  Brothers  Holgate,  Knipe,  Hull, 
Ward,  Caldwell,  Holyoke,  and  Adams,' of  Seattle;  Johns,  of  Olympia; 
Cavender,  Charnock,  and  Webley  Beaven,  of  Tacoma ;  Francis  Bailey 
and  Tillinghast,  of  LaConner;  Clyde  and  Haughton,  of  Victoria,  B. 
C. ;  and  McNaughton,  Freed,  and  Turnbul,  of  New  Westminster,  B. 
C.  This  force,  consisting  of  a  few  men  and  women  of  God,  were 
preparing  to  lay  the  foundations  of  a  convention  of  greater  breadth 
and  importance  than  even  the  most  sanguine  of  its  promoters  con- 
ceived. 

Financial  and  commercial  conditions  were  as  follows:  Financial 
conditions,  though  still  straitened,  are  improving.  Commercially 
everything  is  improving  with  unabated  advance.  The  Association  is 
practically  out  of  debt,  and  a  hopeful  condition  prevails. 

The  Executive  Committee  of  this  district  reported  to  the  Puget 
Sound  Association,  and  the  following  synopsis  of  the  report  was 
published.  The  report  of  the  general  missionary  is  also  given.  The 
two  supply  a  fair  synopsis  of  the  home  mission  work  of  the  district 
at  the  time  of  organizing  the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention. 


FIELD   OF    THE    PUGET    SOUND   ASSOCIATION  65 

REPORT    OF    EXECUTIVE    COMMITTEE 

In  presenting  this  report  we  are  deeply  grateful  to  God  for  his 
blessings  during  the  year.  The  Holy  Spirit  has  been  with  our  churches. 
Pastorless  ones,  in  many  instances,  having  been  supplied,  while  others 
have  been  strengthened.  Church  property  has  been  increased ;  church 
debts  have  been  reduced,  and  heavy  burdens  have  been  lightened.  The 
Lord  hath  helped  us. 

Last  year  we  closed  with  a  debt  of  five  hundred  dollars,  and  with 
no  plan  for  raising  money.  Nor  were  we  in  co-operation  with  the  Home 
Mission  Society,  and  several  of  our  largest  givers  could  no  longer  give 
as   formerly.     Your   committee   felt   discouraged. 

We  received  assurance  of  generous  aid  from  the  Home  Mission  So- 
ciety, but  this  was  conditional  upon  our  canceling  our  indebtedness  and 
raising  one  thousand  dollars  besides,  making  in  all,  the  sum  of  $1,500  to 
be  raised  by  us. 

Our  present  indebtedness  is  four  hundred  and  twenty-seven  dollars. 
Though  this  is  less  than  the  former  year,  yet  it  is  sufficient  to  greatly  em- 
barrass  j'our   committee. 

We  earnestly  recommend  that  collections  for  our  work  be  taken 
at  stated  times  in  all  the  churches,  and  that  the  services  of  the  general 
missionary  be  retained  for  at  least  another  year,  since  many  churches 
are  reached  and  a  general  oversight  is  exercised  which  could  not  be  done 
in  any  other  way.  ^^^^    Haughton,  Chairman. 

Later  Note. — The  Home  Mission  Society  also  promised  a  pro  rata  of 
three  to  one  on  $3,000  more. 

REPORT    OF    GENERAL    MISSIONARY 

Rev.  A.  B.  Banks 

In  making  this,  my  second  report,  I  would  say  that  the  plans  of  oper- 
ation and  methods  during  the  past  year  have  been  the  same  as  in  the 
former  year.  The  aim  has  been,  not  to  do  a  scattering  work,  but  to  take 
up  and  prosecute  with  vigor  the  work  wherever  commenced,  until  a  pastor 
should  be  secured  or  a  permanent  supply  provided. 

The  following  methods  have  been  adopted  for  carrying  out  this  plan : 
(i)  Those  churches  whose  resources  would  appear  to  be  sufficient,  when 
developed,  to  enable  them  to  co-operate  with  the  Board  in  sustaining  a 
pastor,  have  been  given  a  regular  appointment  once  a  month,  as  in  the 
case  of  Puyallup,  LaConner,  and  Skagit  City.  (2)  Occasional  visits  to 
those  churches  which  seem  likely  to  come  next  in  order  into  the  general 
missionary's  hands  according  to  the  plan  before  mentioned  to  fit  and 
prepare  for  the  reception  of  pastors,  as  in  the  case  of  White  River,  What- 
com, Skagit  River,  and  Olympia.  (3)  Visiting  those  centers  where  we 
have  no  churches,  but  where  business  and  population  indicate  there  should 
be  in  the  near  future.  These  fields  are  visited  not  only  for  the  purpose  of 
preaching,  but  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  the  business  men  as  well,  so 
that  when  we  do  start  it  shall  not  be  as  strangers.  I  consider  this  a  very 
important  part  of  the  general  missionary's  work. 

Number  of  churches  without  pastors,  twelve.  New  pastors  intro- 
duced into  the  Association  during  the  year,  four.  This  does  not  include 
Rev.  Jos.  Beaven,  now  pastoral  supply  at  White  River. 

Increase  of  church  property  during  the  year  is  nearly  fifteen  thousand 
dollars,  and   is  distributed  as   follows : 

New  Westminster,  $7,000;  Victoria,  $1,500;  Vancouver.  $2,000;  La- 
Conner,  $800;  Mount  Vernon,  $300;  Tacoma  (parsonage),  $1,500;  Puyall- 
up (parsonage),  $1,000;  Seattle,  First  (lots),  $500;  Ly-man,  $50.  Last 
year  our  increase  in  church  property  was  not  over  $7,000. 

E 


66  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

It  is  also  to  be  noted  that  we  have  built  this  year  the  first  parsonage, 
the  first  brick  church,  and  the  first  city  mission  chapel  in  the  bounds 
of  our  Association. 

Of  the  fields  that  should  be  supplied  with  pastors  or  missionaries  at 
once,  I  would  name  as  first  in  order  Skagit  River,  where  we  have  four 
churches,  viz.,  Skagit  City,  Mount  Vernon,  Avon,  and  Lyman. 

Whatcom  County,  by  the  resignation  of  Brother  Wichser,  has  been 
left  vacant.  This  is  a  field  of  great  possibilities.  I  believe  the  church 
at  Whatcom  could  safely  engage  to  pay  a  good  man  $200  a  year. 

Ferndale  is  a  growing  community.  Six  members  were  added  at  my 
last  visit,  so  doubling  the  church. 

Rev.  Mr.  Kaiger  holds  the  fort  at  Dakota  Creek,  while  I  am  invited 
to  attend  the  ordination  of  a  new  pastor  at  Bertrand  Prairie. 

At  Houghton,  where  a  church  of  seven  members  was  organized  last 
autumn,  there  are  now  eleven  members.  Houghton  is  situated  on  Lake 
Washington,  opposite  Seattle.  A  missionary  should  be  placed  upon  this 
field,  with  Houghton  as  his  headquarters. 

Olympia  has  long  been  upon  all  our  hearts.  We  should  pray  God  to 
send  a  man  to  Olympia. 

In  Clarke  County,  we  have  at  work  Brothers  Clark  and  Harper,  both 
estimable  men.  They  are  contemplating  the  advisability  of  uniting  with 
the  Oregon  Convention.  This,  in  my  judgment,  should  not  be  done.  We 
should  place  a  man  at  Vancouver  at  once. 

I  have  not  yet  been  able  to  visit  Oysterville.  The  church  there  refuses 
to  die. 

On  Vashon  Island,  a  church  of  three  members  has  just  been  organized. 

The  Puget  Sound  Association  itself  had  grown  to  such  propor- 
tions that  its  division  was  already  discussed,  and  the  following  resolu- 
tion was  passed  by  the  delegates: 

Resolved,  That  we  recommend  our  churches  to  consider,  during  the 
ensuing  year,  the  expediency  of  dividing  our  Association  into  more  con- 
venient and  practicable  territorial  boundaries,  and  to  send  up  to  this  body 
their  desire  in  their  next  annual  letter. 

In  the  ministers'  and  deacons'  conference  connected  with  the 
Association,  the  advisability  of  forming  a  Baptist  Convention  was 
favorably  discussed.  The  letters  from  the  various  churches  speak 
hopefully,  on  the  whole,  and  report  eighty-two  baptisms,  with  a  small 
net  gain  in  membership. 

The  following  is  the 

HOME    MISSION    REPORT 

Your  Committee  on  Home  Missions  would  respectfully  report  that 
the  brief  time  allotted  to  us  renders  it  impracticable  for  us  to  present  a 
survey  of  the  field  we  represent,  but  for  the  time  suggest  that  the  inad- 
vertant  omission  in  failing  to  appoint  last  year  the  Standing  Committee  on 
Home  Missions  as  provided  by  our  constitution,  is  to  be  deplored,  and 
that  hereafter  it  be  continued  by  regular  appointment. 

James    P.    Ludlow, 
Robert  Lennie, 
Walter  Barss. 


Rev,  C.  A.  Cavender 


Judge  Roger  S.  Greene 


Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  D.  D. 


CHAPTER  XII 

ORGANIZATION  AND  FIRST  MEETING  OF  THE  NORTH- 
WEST BAPTIST  CONVENTION 
1888 

Organization  of  Northwest  Convention.  Proceedings.  Resolutions  adopted.  Stand- 
ing committees  appointed. 

On  June  16,  1888,  at  the  time  of  the  session  of  the  Puget  Sound 
Association  at  Tacoma,  a  Convention  was  organized,  taking  the 
name  of  the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention.  It  represented  sixteen 
churches,  which  sent  forty-five  delegates.  Few  copies  of  the  minutes 
being  available,  we  give  the  entire  proceedings  at  the  organization, 
and  the  first  annual  meeting,  thus  rendering  them  available  to  all 
who  wish  to  know  the  origin  of  this  great  convention,  and  to  dis- 
cover who  were  the  moving  spirits  in  it : 

MINUTES  OF  THE  ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  CONVENTION 

In  accordance  with  resolutions  adopted  by  the  undivided  Puget 
Sound  Baptist  Association,  a  convention  was  called  at  Tacoma,  Saturday, 
June  16,  1888,  at  eleven  o'clock,  a.  m.,  in  the  First  Baptist  Church. 

Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg,  of  Victoria,  was  elected  chairman  pro  tern. 

Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  of  Seattle,  was  elected  temporary  secretary. 

A  Committee  on  Enrolment  was  appointed,  consisting  of  E.  G. 
Wheeler,  of  Portland,  and  J.  L.  Beckwith,  of  Victoria. 

Some  of  the  churches  having  failed  to  instruct  their  delegates,  it 
was  unanimously  voted  that  all  delegates  uninstructed  should  be  per- 
mitted discretionary  powers. 

It  was  moved  and  carried  that  visiting  brothers  and  sisters  of  our 
own  and  sister  denominations  be  invited  to  participate  in  our  deliber- 
ations, but  not  to  vote. 

The  Committee  on   Enrolment   reported   as  follows : 

Centralia :  Rev.  C.  D.  Spencer,  J.  P.  McElfresh,  J.  W.  Bradford,  S.  C. 
Reddy.  Duwamish,  Orin  Babbit.  Bethesda,  LaConner :  Jessie  R. 
Francis,  D.  Duffy.  R.  L.  Peck,  Mrs.  James  Caches.  Olympia :  Mrs.  M.  V. 
Johns.  Seattle,  First :  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  M.  A.  Pierce,  Amelia  Knipe,  L. 
J.  Holgate,  S.  M.  Houser,  Mollie  Essery,  Frank  Pierce,  Alonzo  Ham- 
blett,  J.  D.  Minkler,  M.  D.  Seattle,  Second :  Rev.  R.  S.  Greene,  Grace 
W.  Greene,  Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow,  F.  P.  Long.  Seattle  Scandinavian :  Rev. 
K.  Nelson,  H.  Belstead.  Tacoma  Scandinavian :  Mrs.  Carrie  Nelson,  E. 
Halverson.  Toledo :  A.  J.  Herron.  Vashon :  A.  W.  Judd,  Mrs.  J.  A. 
Judd.  Vancouver,  B.  C,  Rev.  J.  B.  Kennedy.  Victoria :  Rev.  M.  L. 
Rugg,  Miss  W.  McAdams,  Thomas  Gowan,  Chas.  R.  King,  J.  L.  Beck- 
with. Whatcom :  Rev.  W.  G.  Jones,  Geo.  M.  Brown.  Puyallup :  Rev.  S. 
W.  Beaven,  D.  M.  Ross,  Mrs.  D.  M.  Ross.  Skagit  City :  Mrs.  J.  Keene. 
Tacoma :  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  Dea.  Wm.  Charnock,  Dea.  C.  A.  Cavender. 

Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow,  having  been  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution, 
reported  a  modification  of  the  California  Baptist  Convention,  which, 
having  been  carefully  revised,  was  adopted  as  a  whole. 

67 


68         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

The  Committee  on  Nominations  then  reported  as  follows: 
President,  Hon.  R.  S.  Greene,  Seattle.    Secretary,  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven, 
Puyallup.    Treasurer,  Dea.  C.  A.  Cavender,  Tacoma.    First  Vice-president, 
Rev.    A.    B.    Banks,    Tacoma.      Second    Vice-president,    N.    W.    Battle, 
Seattle. 

BOARD   OF   MANAGEMENT 

For  three  years :  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg,  J.  D.  Minkler, 
M.  D.  For  two  years:  Rev.  W.  P.  Kennedy,  N.  W.  Battle,  A.  C.  Camp- 
bell. For  one  year:  E.  R.  Butterworth,  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  Rev.  W.  G. 
Jones. 

The  Convention  then  adjourned  to  meet  at  Seattle  on  the  Saturday 
before  the  first  Sunday  in  September,  1888,  at  10  a.  m. 


PROCEEDINGS   OF   THE  FIRST   ANNUAL   MEETING  OF  THE 
NORTHWEST    CONVENTION 

Seattle,  W.  T.,  Sept.  i,  1888,  10  a.  m. 

According  to  previous  appointment,  the  delegates  to  the  Northwest 
Baptist  Convention  met  with  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Seattle,  and  was 
called  to  order  and  opened  by  Rev.  R.  S.  Greene,  in  a  season  of  devotional 
services. 

The  constitution  was  then  called  for,  and  read  by  the  secretary. 

It  was  moved  that  it  is  the  sense  of  the  Convention  that  hitherto  the 
Convention  be  considered  only  a  temporary  organization,  and  that  we 
now  proceed  to  permanent  organization. 

The  Convention  then  proceeded  to  enrolment  of  delegates,  Rev.  M.  L. 
Rugg  and  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  being  appointed  by  the  president  as  Committee 
on  Enrolment. 

MEMBERS    ENROLLED.       CHURCHES 

I.  Centralia,  J.  W.  Bradford.  2.  Dakota  Creek,  Rev.  W.  G.  Jones. 
3.  Dog  Fish  Bay,  Scandinavian,  P.  Lundquist.  4.  Duwamish,  Brother  Mc- 
Allister. 5.  Ferndale,  Mrs.  A.  M.  Crawford.  6.  Lynden,  Mrs.  J.  M. 
Hilton.  7.  Mount  Vernon,  T  J.  May.  8.  Olympia,  B.  W.  Johns.  9. 
Oysterville,  Rev.  T.  J.  Huflf.  10.  Puyallup,  D.  M.  Ross.  n.  Seattle,  First, 
N.  W.  Battle,  L.  J.  Holgate,  and  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce.  12.  Seattle,  Second, 
Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow.  13.  Seattle,  Scandinavian,  Rev.  K.  Nelson.  14.  Skagit 
City,  Rev.  J.  G.  Pulliam.  15.  Tacoma,  First,  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks.  16.  Van- 
couver, Rev.  P.  Harper.  17.  Vashon,  A.  W.  Judd.  18.  Victoria,  Thos. 
Haughton,  Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg.     19.  Whatcom,  M.  W.  Scott. 

Adjourned   with   prayer. 

AFTERNOON    SESSION,   2    P.    M. 

The  Convention  coming  to  order,  after  devotional  exercises,  pro- 
ceeded to  permanent  organization. 

Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg,  Rev.  J.  H.  Teale,  and  Sister  A.  M.  Crawford  were 
appointed  a  Committee  on  Nominations,  to  which  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks  was 
afterward  added,  and  reported  in  favor  of  the  present  temporary  officers 
being  made  the  permanent  officers,  and  that  the  present  members  of  the 
Board  of  Management,  whose  time  has  now  expired,  be  reelected,  substi- 
tuting the  name  of  Bro.  M.  W.  Scott  for  Rev.  W.  G.  Jones. 

The  report  was  accepted,  and  the  following  officers,  etc.,  elected: 

Hon.  R.  S.  Greene,  president;  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven,  secretary;  Dea. 
C.  A.  Cavender,  treasurer;  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  first  vice-president;  Hon. 
N,  W.   Battle,  second  vice-president. 


ORGANIZATION    OF    THE    NORTHWEST    CONVENTION        69 

Board  of  Management  for  the  next  three  years :  Brn.  E.  R.  Butter- 
worth,  D.  J.  Pierce,  and  M.  V.  Scott. 

Visiting  brethren :  Rev.  J.  H.  Teale,  general  missionary  for  eastern 
Washington;  Rev.  A.  M.  Allyn,  of  Ellensburg;  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  G. 
Wheeler,  representing  American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  were  cordi- 
ally invited  and  welcomed  to  the  deliberations  of  the  Convention. 

On  motion  of  Brother  Greene,  Article  2  of  the  constitution  was 
amended  by  striking  out  the  word  "  western  "  and  adding  the  words  "  but 
without  conflicting  with  the  work  of  any  other  organization  now  existing 
within  the  same  field." 

On  motion,  Brn.  M.  L.  Rugg,  D.  J.  Pierce,  and  J.  T.  Huff  were 
appointed  a  Committee  on  Ways  and  Means  to  bring  about  a  union  of 
the  churches  of  eastern  and  western  Washington  in  one  territorial  or- 
ganization. 

On  motion,  Brn.  J.  P.  Ludlow,  A.  B.  Banks,  and  M.  W.  Scott 
were  appointed  to  draft  by-laws  and  submit  the  same  to  the  Convention. 

The  Committee  on  Unity  of  the  Field  reported  as  follows : 

"  We  recommend  that  our  secretary  be  instructed  to  forward,  over 
the  signatures  of  the  president  and  secretary,  an  invitation  to  the 
Eastern  Washington  Baptist  Convention,  to  take  such  action  as  in  their 
discretion  may  be  deemed  best  to  secure  a  full  and  formal  union  of  the 
two   Conventions   at  our   next   annual   meeting. 

"  D.  J.  Pierce, 

"  M.  L.  RuGG, 
"  J.  T.  Huff." 

Committee  on  Program  then  announced  the  various  pulpit  supplies 
and  a  mass  meeting  that  evening  in  the  interest  of  the  educational  work, 
and  a  mass  home  mission  meeting  on  Sunday  evening. 

After  prayer  the  meeting  adjourned. 

EVENING    SESSION,    7.45    P.    M. 

Rev.  P.  Harper,  of  Vancouver,  W.  T.,  conducted  the  usual  devotional 
meeting,  and  in  the  absence  of  the  president  the  Convention  was  called  to 
order  by  Hon.  N.  W.  Battle,  who  presided  throughout  the  evening. 

The  educational  work  of  the  Convention  was  then  taken  up  and 
presented  by  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  D.  D.,  Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg,  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks, 
and  Rev.  J.  H.  Teale,  who  urged  careful  and  immediate  action.  The 
pressing,  urgent  needs  of  Colfax  College  were  likewise  considered. 

After  prayer  by  Rev.  W.  G.  Jones,  the  Convention  adjourned. 

SUNDAY  EVENING   SESSION,  8  P.   M. 

The  Convention  came  to  order.  Judge  N.  W.  Battle  presiding,  and 
in  open  mass  meeting  the  subject  of  home  missions  was  considered. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Teale,  general  missionary  for  eastern  Washington,  spoke 
of  "  The  Missionary  Idea,"  of  its  aggressiveness,  and  its  calls  for  sacri- 
fice. 

Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  spoke  of  the  incoming  tide  of  immigration,  of  the 
fight  for  supremacy  soon  to  begin  between  King  Jesus  and  Joss  between 
Christianity  and  anarchy,  and  of  the  great  extent  of  our  field,  one  quarter 
of  the  United  States. 

Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg  expounded  the  Sunday-school  lesson  of  the  day 
(Num.  13:17-33),  to  show  the  analogy  between  Canaan  and  our  land, 
our  opportunities,  and  our  unbelief.  Though  he  came  from  British  Co- 
lumbia, yet  he  felt  that  there  was  no  boundary  line,  for  the  blood  of  Jesus 


70  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

had  blotted  out  all  lines.  It  was  our  part  to  attempt  great  things  for  God, 
and  God's  part  to  grant  large  blessings. 

Rev.  A.  M.  Allyn,  of  Ellensburg,  spoke  of  the  field  represented  by 
him  in  eastern  Washington  and  its  growing  importance  from  its  prox- 
imity to  such  extensive  mining  interests.  In  his  former  experience  in 
Dakota,  he  thought  he  knew  what  Western  immigration  was,  but  it  was 
far  eclipsed  by  the  multitudes  now  pressing  to  eastern  and  western 
Washington. 

Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  in  his  usual  happy  style,  summed  up  the  various 
points,  fastening  each  home  with  arguments  of  his  own. 

The  following  resolutions  were  then  offered  by  Brother  Pierce : 

"Resolved,  That  in  the  prospective  union  of  these  three  great  mis- 
sionary districts  of  Washington,  British  Columbia,  and  Alaska,  comprising 
an  area  of  nine  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  square  miles,  equal  to  one- 
fourth  of  that  of  the  United  States,  including  twenty  thousand  miles 
of  seacoast,  and  the  unmeasured  possibilities  of  a  great  empire,  we 
recognize  a  call  to  improve  a  great  opportunity,  demanding  our  best,  im- 
mediate, concentrated,  and  continued  effort  for  the  possession  of  a  land 
that,  like  a  fruitful  Canaan,  is  now  promised  as  a  valuable  inheritance. 

"  Resolved,  That  this  vast  field,  including  the  practical  termini  of  four 
transcontinental  railways  (the  Canadian,  Northern,  Union,  and  Southern 
Pacific),  with  others  in  prospect,  offers  a  pecuUarly  hopeful  field  ifor 
mission  efforts  not  to  be  measured  by  present  numbers  or  power,  but  by 
future  possibilities  contingent  upon  its  commercial  importance. 

"  Resolved,  That  we  call  the  attention  of  our  Eastern  brethren  to 
the  peculiar  relation  of  our  field  to  the  work  of  foreign  as  well  as  do- 
mestic missions,  lying  as  we  do  upon  the  frontier  of  civilization,  facing 
the  rising  empire  of  progressive  Japan,  the  growing  power  of  the  isles 
of  the  sea,  and  the  vast  conservative  heathenism  of  China,  and  that 
schools  and  churches  upon  this  Western  frontier,  like  forts  and  arsenals 
along  our  national  borders,  not  only  preserve  our  own  communities,  but 
sustain  the  dignity  of  our  whole  country. 

"  Resolved,  That  in  the  conquest  of  "  North  America  for  Christ,"  we 
recognize  no  national  boundaries,  but  seek  earnestly,  equally,  and  persist- 
ently to  secure  the  promising  centers  for  our  common  good. 

"Resolved,  That  from  a  half-civilized  Indian  community  dwelling 
upon  our  shores,  and  the  relics  of  the  Eskimo  nations  of  Alaska,  we 
hear  the  Macedonian  cry  for  aid,  which  can  be  ignored  only  at  our  peril." 

The  Convention  then  adjourned  with  prayer. 

MONDAY,    SEPTEMBER    3,   9    A.    M. 

The  Convention  was  called  to  order  by  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  and  was 
led  in  prayer  by  Rev.  C.  D.  Spencer. 

Brother  Rugg  gave  notice  of  the  following  amendment  to  the  consti- 
tution : 

"  That  at  the  next  annual  meeting  he  would  move  to  change 
Article  3  in  its  relationship  to  membership,  so  that  instead  of  reading. 
'  Each  church  shall  be  entitled  to  one  member,'  it  shall  read,  '  Each 
church  shall  be  entitled  to  pastor  and  one  delegate.' " 

Brother  Ludlow  gave  notice  that  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  Conven- 
tion a  motion  will  be  made  to  amend  Article  3  of  the  constitution  to  read : 
"  Each  church  shall  be  entitled  to  one  member,  and  its  pastor  as  delegates ; 
or,  not  having  any  pastor,  to  an  extra  delegate  to  stand  in  lieu  of  a  pastor 
thereof." 

The  secretary  presented  a  recommendation  from  the  Board  of  Man- 
agers that  we  be  represented  in  our  next  annual  national  anniversaries 


ORGANIZATION    OF    THE    NORTHWEST    CONVENTION        /I 

by  a  delegate  from  the  Convention,  and  that  $ioo  be  appropriated  from 
the  funds  of  the  Convention  toward  the  expenses  of  the  delegate. 

The  Convention  voted  that  in  accordance  with  this  resolution  we 
send  the  delegate. 

An  informal  ballot  was  then  taken  to  test  the  sense  of  the  Convention 
as  to  its  choice  of  the  delegate.  The  highest  number  of  votes  was 
received  by  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  and  it  was  voted  to  make  the  informal 
choice  the  unanimous  choice  of  the  Convention.  On  motion  of  Rev. 
C.  D.  Spencer,  Rev.  R.  S.  Greene  was  elected  alternate  delegate. 

It  was  then  voted  that  the  moderator,  at  his  leisure,  appoint  commit- 
tees on  home  missions,  foreign  missions,  Sunday-schools,  and  education, 
and  that  he  be  allowed  to  appoint  such  committees  within  the  boun- 
daries of  the   Convention. 

On  motion  the  time  of  the  Committee  on  By-laws  was  extended,  and 
it  was  instructed  to  report  at  the  beginning  of  the  next  meeting. 

It  was  voted  that  when  we  adjourn,  we  adjourn  to  meet  on  the 
Thursday  before  the  first  Sunday  in   September. 

The  president  then  appointed  a  committee,  consisting  of  Brothers 
Holgate,  Banks,  and  Nelson,  on  our  next  place  of  meeting.  After  con- 
sultation, the  committee  reported  in  favor  of  Olympia;  and  their  report 
was  adopted. 

It  was  voted  that  the  printing  of  the  minutes  and  their  distribution 
be  referred  to  the  Board  of  Management,  with  full  power  to  act. 

It  was  voted  to  adjourn  to  meet  with  the  First  Baptist  Church  of 
Olympia,  on  Thursday  previous  to  the  first  Sunday  in  September,  1889. 

After  prayer  by  Brother  Beaven,  the  doxology,  and  the  benediction, 
the  Convention  was  declared  adjourned. 

R.   S.  Greene,  President, 
S.  W.  Beaven,  Secretary. 

STANDING    COMMITTEES 

Home  Missions.    Rev.  S,  W.  Beaven,  Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg,  N.  W.  Battle. 

Foreign  Missions.  Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow,  Mrs.  R.  Holyoke,  Mrs.  Annie 
Keene. 

Sunday-schools.  C.  M.  McNaughton,  Mrs.  M.  V.  Johns,  Mrs.  James 
Caches. 

Education.    Rev.  Knut  Nelson,  Robert  Knipe,  A.  C.  Campbell. 

Fully  organized  and  equipped  for  business,  the  Northwest  Baptist 
Convention  had  now  taken  its  place  among  the  great  and  influential 
Baptist  bodies  organized  to  aid  each  other  in  winning  North  America 
for  Christ,  and  in  spreading  the  gospel  over  the  world.  The  field 
occupied,  the  responsibilities  incurred  by  its  advantageous  location, 
the  wise  foresight  needed  to  meet  the  emergencies  of  its  rapidly 
increasing  population  and  its  commercial  development,  the  consecra- 
tion necessary  to  carry  forward  its  work  in  Christ's  spirit  as  God's 
work,  and  not  commercialize  it,  furnish  an  opportunity  for  the  ac- 
tivities of  real  Christian  brotherhood.  Christlike  self-denial,  and 
loyalty  to  Jesus  and  his  church,  by  which  the  Convention  is  created 
and  sustained;  that  is  the  equal  of  any  other  opportunity  in  North 
America,  if  indeed  there  is  such  another. 

What  the  Convention  proposes  to  do  is  outlined  in  the  second 
article  of  its  constitution:  i.  To  co-operate  with  the  great  American 
Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.     2.  To  evangelize  the  population  of 


^2         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Washington  Territory,  British  Cohmibia,  and  Alaska.  3.  To  plant 
churches  and  aid  in  their  support  where  needed.  4.  To  direct  all  the 
Baptist  educational  interests  within  its  limits.  Under  special  standing 
committees,  foreign  missions,  Sunday-schools,  and  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society  were  considered  and  encouraged.  The 
women's  foreign  mission  work  for  heathen  women,  which  had  had  a 
conspicuous  place  in  the  Association  and  the  convention  out  of 
which  the  Northwest  Convention  grew,  was  very  naturally  given  a 
like  position  in  the  new  Convention,  though  not  at  this  time  formally 
under  its  auspices. 


Corwin  Sheridan  Shank,  LL.  D. 


Rev.  C.  A.  Wooddy,  D.  D. 


Rev.  W.  E.  Randall 


Geo.  W.  Fowler 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE  NORTHWEST   CONVENTION 
1889,  1890 

Incidental  mention.  Recovering.  Definitely  settled.  Cut  before  it  was  ripe. 
Brothers.  New  men  God-given.  Women  too.  Christian  education.  Foreign  missions. 
Open  fields.  Sunday-school  work.  Versus  all  intoxicants.  Victoria  the  picturesque. 
At  home  in  a  foreign  country.  Visitors.  New  men  of  ability.  Report  from  National 
Anniversaries.  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.  General  missionary.  Evan- 
gelist Whittier.  Sunderland's  report.  Church  education  work.  Ten  new  churches. 
Board  of  Managers.    Educational  Board.     Editorial  limits. 

In  following  the  history  of  this  Convention,  we  shall  give  its 
educational  work  incidental  mention  only,  having  taken  up  the  sub- 
ject of  "  Christian  Education "  and  dealt  elaborately  with  its  his- 
torical facts  in  another  part  of  this  work.  This  will  also  be  true  of 
the  women's  foreign  mission  work,  which  we  have  treated  under 
the  title  of  "  Women's  Work  for  Women." 

In  the  Northwest  Convention  were  a  score  of  churches,  having 
a  membership  of  one  thousand,  and  twenty  ministers,  one-half  of 
them  engaged  in  pastoral  service,  who  were  undertaking  a  great  work 
for  God.  They  were  recovering,  in  a  measure,  from  the  shock  inci- 
dent to  the  dissolution  of  the  old  Convention.  It  had  been  cut 
down  prematurely,  before  it  was  ripe  for  the  harvest,  largely  through 
the  influence  and  the  effort  of  a  small  minority  in  the  Puget  Sound 
Association,  who  had  for  years  insisted  that  they  should  have  inde- 
pendent recognition  by  the  Home  Mission  Board  in  New  York,  and 
do  their  mission  work  in  direct  co-operation  with  it.  The  great 
majority  in  the  Association,  however,  were  in  harmony  with  the 
methods  of  the  New  York  Board  and  of  the  North  Pacific  Conven- 
tion in  co-operationg.  The  majority  were  willing,  in  a  Christian 
spirit,  to  recognize  the  opinion  of  the  minority,  and  saw  the  way 
clearing  to  have  these  matters  definitely  settled  by  the  Home  Mis- 
sion Society  iit  such  a  way  that  its  policy  would  be  accepted  by 
all  as  wise,  scriptural,  and  unselfish.  The  leaders  in  this  important 
period  were  men  of  God,  recognized  as  deeply  spiritual.  Whatever 
their  differences  of  opinion  might  be  on  methods  of  work  or  spiritual 
attainments,  yet  they  were  brothers  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
would  work  together  in  the  great  effort  demanded  of  them  in  extend- 
ing the  kingdom  of  God  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  That  mistakes 
had  been  made  in  the  past  was  acknowledged;  and,  perhaps,  as 
far  as  could  be,  remedied.  These  mistakes  will  be  of  service  in  the 
future  in  causing  men  to  say:  "See  how  these  brethren  love  one 
another." 

The  second  year  in  the  history  of  the  Convention  was  remark- 

73 


74  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

able  for  many  things,  but  most  of  all  for  an  apparently  special 
interposition  of  the  Master  himself.  The  meeting  was  held  at 
Olynipia  on  August  29  to  September  i,  1889,  and  was  remarkable  for 
the  appearance  in  it  of  an  unusual  number  of  experienced,  influential, 
and  godly  men.  Among  them  were  Rev.  W.  B.  Pope,  missionary 
pastor  at  Olympia,  Rev.  W.  P.  Squires,  at  Winlock  and  Chehalis; 
Rev.  J.  T.  Huff,  at  Oysterville  and  the  Willapa  Valley;  Rev.  J. 
Cairns,  at  Vancouver,  W.  T. ;  Rev.  J.  F.  Norris,  at  Whatcom;  Rev. 
Robert  Whitaker,  succeeding  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  at  Seattle;  and  Rev. 
Thomas  Baldwin,  succeeding  Rev.  R.  Lennie,  at  New  Westminster, 
B.  C.  These  men  were  a  veritable  godsend  to  a  new  and  small  Con- 
vention. They  were  men  of  ability,  competence,  strength,  experience, 
capable  of  handling  the  whole  constituency  of  the  Convention  could 
it  have  been  gathered  into  churches  of  a  few  hundred  members  each, 
and  could  each  church  have  been  given  a  pastor  and  an  assistant 
pastor.  This  was  only  a  foretaste  of  what  God  was  going  to  do 
for  this  Convention  in  the  future. 

The  Convention  was  further  inspired  by  the  presence  of  Rev.  S. 
P.  Davis,  the  editor  of  the  Pacific  Baptist,  and  that  of  Miss  Emma 
Miller,  representing  the  women's  home  mission  work,  and  of  Miss 
Minnie  Buzzell,  who  had  recently  returned  from  China,  representing 
the  women's  foreign  mission  work,  both  graduates  of  the  Chicago 
Training  School.  These  names  were  for  years  treasured  as  house- 
hold words  among  Baptists  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  An  evening 
session  of  great  interest  was  conducted  by  these  young  women. 

The  work  of  Christian  education  had  a  wide  discussion  based  on 
an  extended  report,  including  a  number  of  offers  of  available  sites  for 
a  "  Baptist  university,"  none  of  which,  however,  was  accepted.  The 
committee  on  education  had  incorporated  Grace  Seminary,  let  the 
contract  for  enclosing  the  building,  and  arranged  for  the  opening  of 
a  school  in  November.  The  choice  of  Rev.  E.  T.  Trimble,  as 
principal,  and  Mrs.  E.  T.  Trimble,  as  preceptress,  was  approved  by  the 
Convention.  Many  good  things  were  said,  and  much  sympathy  ex- 
pressed, for  Colfax  College. 

The  foreign  mission  work  received  a  new  impetus.  The  report 
of  the  Home  Mission  Board  showed  appropriations  for  the  year  of 
$3,058.  The  Convention  was  still  under  the  pro  rata  provided  for  the 
district  by  the  General  Convention  in  1883.  In  addition,  the  Conven- 
tion Board  had  already  promised,  as  soon  as  men  could  be  found 
to  occupy  the  new  fields,  $500  for  missionary  work  in  Whatcom 
County,  $500  for  a  Scandinavian  pastor  in  Tacoma,  $300  to  assist  in 
sustaining  a  pastor  for  the  Market  Street  Church  in  Seattle,  $350  for 
work  in  White  River  Valley,  and  $400  for  a  missionary  pastor  at 
Nanaimo,  B.  C,  making  an  additional  $2,050  promised.  The  report 
does  not  give  actual  receipts  and  expenditures,  but  the  Convention 
tables  show  $902.71  raised  for  home  missions,  $554.92  for  foreign 
missions,  and  $9.94  for  the  Publication  Society. 


THE    NORTHWEST    CONVENTION  75 

The  Sunday-school  work  was  given  a  prominent  hearing  and 
time  for  a  full  discussion.  A  real  uplift  was  felt  through  all  the 
year. 

The  Convention  also  put  itself  on  record  as  permanently  pro- 
testing against  the  liquor  traffic  in  the  following  resolution: 

Resolved,  That  we  are  unalterably  opposed  to  the  legal,  but  no  less 
iniquitous  traffic  in  intoxicating  drinks ;  that  we  recognize  the  responsi- 
bilities of  Christian  citizens  to  oppose  this  tremendous  evil  not  only  by 
their  moral  influence,  but  by  their  votes ;  that  we  urgently  recommend  the 
enforcement  of  existing  laws  against  the  traffic,  especially  those  relating 
to  the  closing  of  saloons  on  Sunday,  and  that  we  pledge  our  support 
to  State,  national,  and  world-wide  prohibition. 

The  new  men  were  largely  represented  on  the  committees  and 
Boards  for  the  ensuing  year,  and  the  delegates  left  for  their  various 
fields  in  a  most  hopeful  and  prayerful  spirit. 

The  annual  meeting  of  1890  was  held  in  Victoria,  B.  C,  and  was 
unique  and  full  of  inspiration.  It  was  the  first  Baptist  Convention 
ever  held  in  British  Columbia;  and  it  met  in  Victoria,  the  beautiful, 
the  picturesque,  the  historical,  founded  by  the  old  Hudson  Bay 
Company,  which  was  organized  in  1670  by  authority  of  King  Charles 
the  Second.  Victoria  was  long  the  company's  fort  and  principal 
trading  establishment,  and  is  now  the  capital  of  one  of  the  great 
provinces  of  Canada.  Many  of  the  delegates  who  came  from  the 
United  States  to  attend  the  Convention  had  never  been  out  of  their 
native  country  before;  but,  finding  a  people  speaking  their  own  lan- 
guage and  holding  to  the  same  Baptist  faith  as  their  own,  they  were 
soon  very  much  at  home.  Most  of  the  delegates  made  the  journey 
over  from  Seattle  on  the  same  steamer,  and  had  prayed  and  sung 
and  talked  together  until  they  were  in  a  frame  of  mind  and  heart 
to  respond  to  the  cordial  and  brotherly  welcome  they  received  upon 
arrival,  both  in  the  Baptist  homes,  where  they  were  so  hospitably  en- 
tertained, and  from  the  Calvary  Church,  in  whose  beautiful  house 
of  worship  the  meetings  were  held. 

There  were  present  fifty  delegates.  Rev.  J.  Cairns,  of  Vancouver, 
Wash.,  was  elected  president;  Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg,  pastor  of  the  enter- 
taining church,  vice-president;  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  of  Kirkland,  Wash., 
secretary;  and  Dea.  C.  A.  Cavender,  of  Tacoma,  treasurer. 

The  following  visitors  were  enrolled: 

Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns,  East  Washington  Convention;  Rev.  J,  C. 
Baker,  East  Washington  Convention,  Financial  Agent  Colfax  Col- 
lege, Grace  Seminary;  Rev.  M.  T.  Lamb,  Davenport,  Iowa;  Rev.  R. 
McKillop,  McMinnville,  Ore.;  Rev.  M.  C.  Jones,  Spokane  Falls; 
Dea.  A.  W.  Jones,  Spokane  Falls;  Rev.  E.  G.  Wheeler  and  wife, 
Sunday-school  missionaries,  American  Baptist  Publication  Society; 
Rev.  L.  L.  Wood,  editor  Baptist  Mountaineer,  Montana;  Rev.  C.  A, 
Wooddy,  editor  Pacific  Baptist,  Oregon  State  Convention ;  Rev.  L.  C. 


76         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Davis,  Pennsylvania;  Rev.  E.  B.  Sullivan,  Centralia;  Rev.  C.  W. 
Townsend,  London;  Mrs.  Thomas  Baldwin,  North  Seattle;  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  W.  Braymer,  North  Seattle;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schaffer,  North 
Seattle;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Weed,  Mrs.  C.  A.  Walsh,  Mrs.  J.  Sun- 
derland, Mrs.  I.  W.  Read,  Market  Street,  Seattle;  Mrs.  J.  A.  Banton, 
Nanaimo,  B.  C. ;  Mrs.  C.  E.  C.  Brown,  Mrs.  W.  R.  King,  Dea. 
Alexander  Johnson,  New  Westminster,  B.  C. 

Rev.  Donald  Eraser,  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church, 
Victoria,  was  introduced  and  invited  to  a  seat.  He  responded  with 
some  happy  remarks  complimentary  to  Baptist  positiveness  and 
activity. 

If  the  memory  of  the  author  is  not  at  fault,  the  address  of  wel- 
come was  delivered  by  Mr.  W.  Marchant,  of  Victoria,  in  a  most 
royal  and  characteristic  speech,  and  was  responded  to  by  Rev.  I.  W. 
Read,  of  Seattle,  in  an  equally  characteristic,  humorous,  and  brotherly 
manner,  which  made  all  of  them  forget  that  they  were  citizens  of 
different  countries  belonging  to  two  of  the  greatest  Christian  nations 
under  heaven. 

Among  the  new  names  of  the  delegates  appeared  those  of 
persons  of  great  worth  and  ability,  such  as  Prin.  E.  T.  Trimble 
and  Mrs.  E.  T.  Trimble,  then  in  charge  of  Grace  Seminary  at  Cen- 
tralia ;  Rev.  G.  N.  Annes,  of  Kent ;  Rev.  M.  C.  Jones,  of  Everett ;  Rev. 
S.  B.  Chastain,  of  LaCamas;  Rev.  I.  W.  Read,  of  the  Market  Street 
Church,  Seattle;  Rev.  J.  H.  Best,  of  New  Westminster,  B.  C. ;  Rev. 

C.  R.  Corning,  of  Puyallup;  Rev.  G.  J.  Burchett,  of  Seattle  First 
Church;  Rev.  F.  O.  Nelson,  of  the  Swedish  Church,  Seattle;  Rev. 
A.  Watson,  of  Blaine;  Rev.  August  Sandel,  of  the  Swedish  Church, 
New  Whatcom;  Rev.  N.  G.  Collins,  Fairhaven,  Wash.  These 
men  bring  the  ministerial  force  up  to  forty-four,  and  changes  its 
aspect  and  leadership  very  materially,  adding  greatly  to  its  efficiency. 

Among  the  first  things  done  in  this  meeting  of  the  Convention 
was  the  passing  of  a  motion,  made  by  Rev.  I.  W.  Read,  that  a 
committee  be  appointed  to  redraft  the  constitution  and  present  the  re- 
draft at  the  next  annual  meeting.  Poor  constitution!  It  had  been 
amended  at  each  previous  meeting,  and  now  it  was  to  be  reconstructed. 
There  is  no  telling  what  the  next  new  man  who  moves  in  will  be 
moved  to  move,  but  this  is  the  fate  of  convention  constitutions ! 

Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg,  who  had  attended  the  anniversaries  in  the  East 
in  May,  reported  a  conference  he  had  had  with   Rev.   B.   Griffith, 

D.  D.,  secretary  of  the  Publication  Society,  who  had  pledged  a  col- 
porter  missionary  for  this  Convention. 

Early  in  the  year  the  Home  Mission  Board  had  taken  up  with 
Rev.  H.  L.  Morehouse,  D.  D.,  the  matter  of  a  general  missionary  for 
the  Convention.  The  result  was  that  the  New  York  Board  appointed 
Rev.  J.  Sunderland,  D.  D.,  of  Iowa,  as  general  missionary  for  the  State 
of  Washington,  giving  half  his  time  to  the  Convention  of  Eastern 
Washington  and  Northern  Idaho  and  half  to  the  Northwest  Conven- 


THE    NORTHWEST    CONVENTION  ^^ 

tion,  both  Conventions  sharing  equally  in  his  support.  He  began  his 
work  in  May,  after  a  careful  survey  of  the  field.  Doctor  Sunderland's 
experience  in  work  of  this  character  in  Iowa  enabled  him  early  to 
grasp  and  plan  to  meet  the  necessities  of  this  open  field  for  the 
Master's  service,  of  which,  in  his  report,  he  speaks  as  follows: 

"  More  and  more  I  am  impressed  with  the  greatness  and 
grandeur  of  this  field,  and  that  it  has  no  peer  in  all  the  home  mis- 
sion fields  of  this  continent;  that  the  rapidity  of  its  settlement  and  of 
its  material  development,  with  its  unequaled  natural  resources  in 
every  kind  of  wealth  but  just  touched  yet,  warrants  the  assurance 
of  its  continued  and  rapid  growth  to  proportions  scarcely  dreamed 
of  by  the  most  sanguine." 

The  Home  Mission  Board  had,  at  the  request  of  several  churches, 
secured  the  services  of  the  well-known  evangelists,  Rev.  E.  A. 
Whittier  and  wife,  of  Lawrence,  Mass.,  for  an  evangelistic 
campaign  on  this  Convention  field,  and  had  agreed  to  pay  $200 
toward  their  traveling  expenses  to  the  field.  They  came  and  held 
meetings  in  the  First  Tacoma  and  the  First  Victoria  churches,  the 
Tabernacle  mission  in  Seattle,  and  also  in  the  Chehalis,  Centralia, 
Winlock,  and  Vancouver,  B.  C,  churches.  The  results  of  these 
meetings  were  far-reaching  in  the  Convention.  Many  conversions 
occurred,  but  no  record  of  their  number  is  available. 

We  give  the  following  extracts  from  the  report  of  the  State  mis- 
sionary, Rev.  J.  Sunderland,  D.  D.,  which  fairly  summarize  the 
work  of  the  year : 

Dear  Brethren  :  It  is  fitting  that  I  should  make  some  statements 
regarding  the  work  to  which  I  have  come,  upon  your  call,  in  connection 
with  that  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  and  I  trust  also 
the  call  of  God.  The  time  that  I  have  been  at  work — between  four  and 
five  months — has  enabled  me  to  get  the  salient  features  of  the  work  into 
mind,  and  to  visit  the  larger  number  of  the  fields  within  the  bounds 
of  the  Convention.  My  relation  to  eastern  Washington  has  made  it 
necessary  to  give  a  portion  of  my  time  to  that  field.  The  appointment  of 
a  district  missionary  there  will  relieve  me  in  this  direction  to  some 
extent.  Of  my  personal  labors,  in  any  detail,  it  is  scarcely  worth  while  to 
speak.  The  calls  and  needs  have  been  so  pressing  that  I  could  reach 
only  a  part  of  them.  I  have  endeavored  to  do  the  things  which  seemed 
the  most  important,  to  keep  the  work  moving  where  it  had  begun,  and 
to  set  it  in  motion  where  it  should  begin. 

MISSIONARIES    AND    FIELDS 

There  are  now  under  appointment  fifteen  missionaries,  besides 
the  general  missionary ;  and  Brothers  Watson,  Witham,  and  Faxon  are 
laboring  in  expectation  of  missionary  help.  The  following  is  a  list  of 
missionaries  and  fields :  James  A.  Banton,  Nanaimo ;  F.  O.  Lonn,  Tacoma 
Scandinavian  Church;  R.  T.  Gray,  LaConner;  E.  M.  Bliss,  Whatcom;  W. 
P.  Squires,  Tacoma  Wright  Avenue  Church;  J.  F.  Norris,  Whatcom 
County ;  James  Cairns,  Vancouver,  Wash. ;  J.  M.  Haskell,  Winlock ; 
S.  B.  Chastain,  LaCamas  and  Mount  Zion ;  S.  W.  Beaven.  Centralia : 
W.  H.  Shearman,  Hoquiam ;  George  N.  Annas,  Kent  and  White  River ; 


78  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

F.  O.  Nelson,  Seattle  Swedish  Church;  Knut  Nelson,  Seattle  Norwegian- 
Danish  Church ;  George  D.  Downey,  Fern  Hill.  There  is  great  encour- 
agement  upon   many   of   these   fields. 

CHURCH    EDIFICE    WORK 

New  houses  of  worship  have  been  completed  and  dedicated  at  North 
Seattle,  Mount  Vernon,  Vancouver,  Wash.,  Wright  Avenue,  Tacoma, 
Kent,  and  Seattle  Swedish  Church.  The  Market  Street  Church,  Seattle, 
has  been  enlarged.  A  church  is  completed,  but  not  dedicated,  at  Ballard. 
Houses  are  nearing  completion  at  Hoquiam  and  Norwegian-Danish 
Church,  Seattle.  At  Nanaimo  and  Dogfish  Bay  houses  are  well  under 
way.  Work  has  begun  on  houses  at  Blaine  and  Kirkland,  and  preparations 
are  making  at  Centralia,  Whatcom  First  Church,  and  Swedish  Church, 
New  Whatcom.  Olympia  has  moved  its  old  church  around  to  the  rear 
of  the  lot,  preparatory  to  the  erection  of  a  larger  house.  Lots  are 
secured  at  Montesano,  Lynden,  Ferndale,  Shelton,  and  Fern  Hill.  The 
question  of  building  is  being  favorably  considered  at  several  of  these 
places,  and  also  at  Fairhaven  and  Port  Townsend.  Nearly  every  church 
not  already  housed  is  considering  the  question  of  building.  New  mission 
chapels  are  needed  at  once  in  both  Seattle  and  Tacoma.  The  Home 
Mission  Society  has  granted  generous  aid  in  building  to  the  Tacoma 
Wright  Avenue  Church  and  to  the  Norwegian-Danish  Church,  Seattle. 
We  are  encouraged  to  expect  help  as  may  be  needed,  and  within  the  rules 
of  the  Society,  to  really  worthy  cases. 

FINANCES 

The  missionary  help  at  present  appropriated  to  our  fields  from  New 
York  aggregates  at  the  rate  of  $7,200  per  year,  including  half  the  salary 
and  expenses  of  the  general  missionary.  This  is  a  great  increase  over 
past  appropriations.  From  October  i,  1888,  to  October  i,  1889,  the  amount 
paid  our  missionaries  was  $3,112.50.  Reckoning  the  year  from  April  i, 
1889,  to  April  I,  1890,  the  amount  aggregates,  according  to  the  pro  rata 
arrangement,  $3,650.  Impressed  with  the  immediate  necessity  of  a  great 
enlargement  of  our  work,  as  soon  as  I  had  looked  it  over  I  set  about  at 
once  representing  the  facts  to  the  Home  Mission  Society  and  endeavored 
to  secure  from  them  the  promise  of  greatly  enlarged  appropriations. 
After  some  time  the  Board  took  action  upon  the  matter,  fixing  the  sum  for 
the  society's  year  from  April  i,  1890,  to  April  i.  1891,  at  $6,700,  besides 
what  we  shall  raise  upon  the  field.  This,  it  will  be  seen,  is  a  large 
increase.  How  much  it  will  give  us  for  expenditure  will  depend  upon 
what  our  own  churches  increase  their  contributions.  For  the  year  ending 
April  I,  1890,  our  churches  gave  to  this  work,  as  credited  in  New  York, 
$913.24.  The  treasurer's  report  will  show  that  there  has  been  a  consider- 
able increase  for  the  year  ending  at  this  time.  It  is  confidently  believed 
that  the  increase  in  the  gifts  of  our  people  will  more  than  keep  pace 
with  the  increase  from  New  York.  The  contributions  of  some  of  the 
churches  give  encouragement  of  this  hope.  Your  missionary  is  deeply 
impressed  that  the  time  has  fully  come  when  we  should  not  only  attempt 
home  mission  work  on  a  much  larger  scale  than  before,  but  that  we 
should  attempt  to  raise  for  it  several  times  as  much  money  from  our  own 
churches  as  has  ever  been  raised.  The  $6,700  from  the  Home  Mission 
Society  must  be  made  not  less  than  $10,000,  and  it  should  be  made  $12,000 
by  our  contributions ;  and  even  that  will  enable  us  to  take  up  only  the 
most  important  fields. 

The  general  missionary  makes  some  strong  recommendations  for 
the  work  of  the  year,  notably  his  financial  plan  urging  that  from 


THE    NORTHWEST    CONVENTION  79 

$3>500  to  $5,000  be  raised  on  the  field;  that  the  churches  be  asked 
to  contribute  an  average  of  at  least  $i.oo  a  member,  aside  from  all 
special  gifts  or  the  gifts  of  church  societies;  that  the  women's  home 
mission  circles  be  asked  to  support  one  missionary,  the  young 
people's  societies  be  asked  to  give  to  home  missions  an  average  of 
fifty  cents  a  member,  the  Sunday-schools  ten  cents  a  member  on  full 
enrolment;  and  that  at  least  $2,000  be  obtained  from  the  wealthy 
brethren. 

Ten  new  churches  had  been  organized  in  the  year,  viz.,  Fern 
Hill  and  Wright  Avenue,  Tacoma;  Hoquiam  and  Nontesano;  Gray's 
Harbor;  Deming,  Custer,  and  Blaine,  in  Whatcom  County;  the 
Scandinavian  at  New  Whatcom;  and  the  Emanuel  at  Victoria,  B.  C. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  I.  W.  Read,  the  constitution  was  amended  as 
follows : 

Article  III.  The  officers  of  this  Convention  shall  be  a  president, 
two  vice-presidents,  a  recording  secretary,  a  treasurer,  a  corresponding 
secretary,  and  a  Board  of  Managers  consisting  of  twenty-one  members, 
seven  of  whom  shall  constitute  a  quorum,  and  all  of  whom  shall  be  mem- 
bers of   Baptist  churches. 

Revs.  J.  Cairns,  J.  Sunderland,  and  I.  W.  Read  were  appointed 
to  nominate  this  full  Board  of  Managers.  Their  report  was  approved, 
and  the  following  brethren  were  elected  to  serve  for  the  ensuing 
year:  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  D.  D.,  Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg,  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce, 
D.  D.,  D.  Garlic,  Dea.  Thomas  Haughton,  William  C.  Morrill, 
Dea.  D.  M.  Ross,  Prof.  E.  T.  Trimble,  Rev.  G.  J.  Burchett,  Robert 
Knife,  Rev.  William  Weir,  John  Anderson,  Dea.  G.  W.  Ward,  Rev. 
Thomas  Baldwin,  Dea.  C.  A.  Cavender,  Rev.  J.  H.  Best,  C.  A. 
Walsh,  M.  D.,  H.  A.  Butler,  August  Lovegren,  B.  W.  Johns,  Rev.  I. 
W.  Read. 

The  report  of  the  Board  of  Education  w'as  read  by  Rev.  S.  W. 
Beaven,  the  secretary.  The  interest  was  centered  upon  Grace  Sem- 
inary, now  completed  and  in  operation  with  a  competent  faculty. 
Interest  was  also  aroused  by  the  "  munificent  offer  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  acres  of  land  at  Seattle  .  .  .  now  regarded  as  equivalent  to 
$50,000  in  money  "  as  a  nucleus  for  a  Baptist  university,  and  by  an 
offer  of  ten  lots  within  the  corporate  limits  of  Vancouver,  B.  C,  by 
Hon.  John  Morton,  of  that  city,  to  Baptists  for  educational  work. 
(See  article  on  "Christian  Education.'')  Extended  discussion  was 
participated  in  by  prominent  brethren,  who  showed  great  interest 
in  this  department  of  the  Convention  work;  and  the  following 
Board  of  Management  was  appointed  for  the  year:  Rev.  D.  J. 
Pierce,  D.  D.,  Dea.  C.  A.  Cavender,  Dea.  D.  M.  Ross,  Rev.  I.  W. 
Read,  D.  S.  Garlic,  Dea.  Thomas  Haughton,  J.  D.  Minkler,  M.  D., 
Rev.  J.  Sunderland,  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  D.  D.,  Edwin  Rand,  Rev.  T. 
Baldwin,  Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg,  Colonel  Williamson,  Rev.  G.  J.  Burchett, 
Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven. 


So         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Touching  the  territorial  hmits  of  the  Convention,  the  following 
resolution  was  passed: 

Resolved,  That  it  is  the  sense  of  this  G)nvention  that  the  entire 
territory  of  the  State  of  Washington  should  be  under  our  Convention. 
We  therefore  invite  the  Convention  of  Eastern  Washington  to  meet 
with  us  next  year  at  Vancouver,  Wash.,  for  the  consummation  of 
such  a  plan,  then  and  there. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  NORTHWEST   CONVENTION 
1891,  1892 

Important  changes,  constituency,  chapel  car  Evangel.  Overtures  for  union. 
Refused.  Death  of  five  ministers.  Providential  leading.  Everything  rushing. 
Waylaid.  Had  to  do  things.  A  good  record.  Educational  stringency.  Resourceful. 
Success.  How  he  did  it.  In  the  holy  of  holies.  Help  him.  Valuable  reminders. 
New  men.  Strong  force.  Well  manned.  A  notable  missionary.  Educational.  Those 
women.  Gone  before  to  report.  Great  anxiety.  Overloaded.  Harvest  Home  Day. 
Convention  in  the  Province.     Conspicuous  figure.     Good  things. 

Important  changes  and  remarkable  growth  signalize  this  Con- 
vention year.  Rev.  J.  Sunderland,  after  an  efficient  service  of  but 
eleven  months,  resigned  his  position  to  accept  the  financial  agency 
of  the  Educational  Board  of  the  Convention  and  of  the  American 
Baptist  Educational  Society,  in  order  to  promote  the  new  "  Baptist 
university  of  Seattle."  (See  article  on  "Christian  Education.") 
Rev.  D.  D.  Proper,  at  the  time  serving  the  First  Baptist  Church  of 
Atchison,  Kan.,  was  elected  as  his  successor;  and  in  March,  1891, 
became  the  general  missionary  for  both  the  Northwest  Convention 
and  the  Eastern  Washington  Convention,  covering  the  whole  State 
of  Washington,  western  Idaho,  and  British  Columbia.  When  he 
entered  the  field,  the  Northwest  Convention  had  approximately  the 
following  constituency :  ministers,  forty ;  churches,  sixty-six ;  church- 
members,  three  thousand  two  hundred;  Sunday-schools,  fifty-one; 
young  people's  societies,  twenty-three;  women's  societies,  twenty-one. 
The  other  helpers  on  the  field  were:  Miss  Emma  L.  Miller,  mission- 
ary of  the  Women's  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  of  the  West; 
Rev.  E.  G.  Wheeler  and  wife,  in  the  chapel  car  "  Evangel,"  represent- 
ing the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society. 

Much  interest  was  shown  in  the  question  of  the  union  of  the 
whole  territory  north  of  Oregon  under  one  Convention.  Overtures 
had  been  made  by  the  Convention  of  Eastern  Washington  and  North- 
ern Idaho  at  their  annual  meeting,  held  in  Spokane,  October  3-6,  1889, 
when  it  was  voted : 

That  a  committee  of  five  1)C  appointed  to  meet  the  Northwest  Con- 
vention, with  instructions  to  make  propositions  for  a  Joint  Convention 
for  the  State  on  the  following  basis : 

1.  That  if  so  desired,  the  full  extent  of  this  Convention  be  included 
in  the  Joint  Convention. 

2.  That  the  appropriations  of  the  Mission  Board  be  pro  rata  to  the 
rational  calculations  of  the  population  in  the  two  sections. 

3.  That  the  home  mission  work  be  carried  on  by  separate  Boards,  or 
by  a  Mission  Board  composed  of  such  a  representation  that  tiie  numbers 
from  each  section  shall  be  pro  rata  of  the  number  of  the  members  in  the 
churches  at  the  last  session  of  the  Associations. 

F  81 


82         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

4.  That  the  meetings  of  the  Joint  Convention  shall  alternate  from  one 
side  of  the  mountains  to  the  other  during  each  three  years  as  follows : 
A  meeting  on  the  west  side,  then  on  the  east  side,  and  the  last  year  on 
as  near  central  ground  as  possible. 

5.  That  the  last  three  propositions  shall  be  embodied  in  the  Consti- 
tution subject  to  no  changes. 

6.  That  the  Boards  or  Committees  entrusted  with  the  work  of  the 
Convention  shall  be  composed  of  members  from  each  side  of  the  moun- 
tains, ecept  in  cases  where  local  interests  are  involved. 

7.  That  this  Committee  appointed  by  your  Convention  be  empowered 
to  act  with  a  similar  Committee  from  the  Northwest  Convention  to  frame 
a  constitution  and  submit  it  at  the  next  meeting  of  this  Convention. 

The  Committee  of  the  Eastern  Washington  Convention  consisted 
of  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  of  Hartland,  chairman;  Rev.  N.  C.  Fetter,  of 
Spokane;  Rev.  J.  H.  Beaven,  of  Walla  Walla;  Rev.  L.  L.  Shearer,  of 
Colfax;  Rev.  C.  P.  Bailey,  of  Dayton;  Rev.  A.  J.  Cable,  of  Moscow, 
Idaho;  and  Sister  May  C.  Jones,  of  Spokane. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Northwest  Convention  held  at  Tacoma  in 
August,  1891,  this  Committee  was  represented  by  Brethren  Fetter, 
Cable,  Beaven,  and  by  Rev.  A.  M.  Allen,  district  missionary  for 
eastern  Washington  and  northern  Idaho.  After  the  formal  intro- 
duction and  cordial  greeting  of  the  Committee,  a  motion  was  made 
to  adopt  the  plan  proposed  by  the  Eastern  Washington  Convention, 
and  its  consideration  was  provided  for  in  a  special  order  of  business 
later  in  the  session.  When  the  matter  was  taken  up,  a  Committee  of 
Conference  was  appointed  to  consult  with  the  Eastern  Washington 
Committee  and  report.  This  committee  made  the  following  report, 
.which  was  adopted: 

Whereas,  The  Northwest  Baptist  Convention  has  made  overtures  to 
the  Baptist  Convention  of  eastern  Washington  and  northern  Idaho,  with  a 
view  of  uniting  the  two  Conventions,  and 

Whereias,  Economic  considerations  seem  just  now  to  make  such 
a  union  impossible,  therefore. 

Resolved,  That  in  the  present  condition  of  our  churches  we  deem 
it  impracticable  and  unadvisable  to  attempt  effecting  such  a  union. 

It  was  also  voted  to  exchange  fraternal  delegates  with  the  Eastern 
Washington  Convention,  and  Revs.  D.  D.  Proper,  I.  W.  Read,  and  A. 
B.  Banks,  D.  D.,  were  appointed  to  carry  the  greetings  of  the 
Northwest  Convention  to  the  Eastern  Washington  Convention  meet- 
ing in  October.  The  persons  who  headed  this  movement  for  union 
were  those  who  had  so  long  clamored  for  independent  work  in  the 
Puget    Sound    Association. 

The  year  was  notable  for  the  death  of  five  ministers,  whose 
labors  of  loving  self-sacrifice,  and  whose  loyalty  to  Christ  Jesus  and 
his  teachings,  left  the  ineffaceable  impress  of  their  lives  on  the  North- 
west Convention.  Even  the  names,  to  many  still  living,  are  sug- 
gestive of  great  things.  They  were  Revs.  J.  Wichser,  S.  E.  Stearns, 
James  A.  Wirth,  Walter  Barss,  and  B.  N.  L.  Davis.     Each,  in  his 


THE    NORTHWEST    CONVENTION  83 

day,  did  a  great  work  for  the  Lord  Jesus  in  the  territory  of  the 
Northwest  Convention.  Rev.  D.  D,  Proper  says  of  them :  "  Their 
names  should  have  a  permanent  place  in  the  records  of  our  de- 
nominational history,"  a  place  which  we  gladly  give  them. 

There  seems  to  be  a  providential  leading  in  the  call  of  Brothers 
Sunderland  and  Proper  to  head  the  missionary  work  on  this  great 
field.  Brother  Sunderland's  mild,  prayerful,  and  Christlike  manner 
of  leadership  met  the  needs  of  the  field  in  his  time,  when  other  motives 
than  selfish  personal  ambition  were  needed  to  promote  the  most 
healthful  growth.  That  "  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth "  was 
the  characteristic  impression  produced  by  Brother  Sunderland. 
Wherever  you  met  him,  whenever  you  heard  him,  you  involuntarily 
said :  "  The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  that  man."  He  was  the  "  be- 
loved Brother  Sunderland,"  and  all  his  leadership  led  straight  to 
Christ. 

Brother  Proper  too  had  a  personality  all  his  own.  He  was  a  man 
of  God,  loyal  to  the  Bible  and  to  the  denomination,  devoted  to  his 
work,  but  he  had  to  grapple  with  greater  issues  than  former  leaders. 
The  "  boom "  was  on.  Everything  was  rushing  in  financial,  com- 
mercial, and  religious  affairs.  Upon  retiring  at  night,  one  hardly 
knew  what  would  be  the  issues  or  the  demands  to  be  met  on  awaking 
in  the  morning.  Cities  grew  up  in  a  night  (on  paper),  and  the  pro- 
moters wanted  the  general  missionary  to  stake  out  a  church  lot  in 
the  morning.  The  author's  experience  corroborates  this.  He  was 
stopped  off  a  special  train  on  one  of  the  prairies  of  eastern  Washing- 
ton one  beautiful  morning,  to  select  a  lot  and  mark  it :  "  Reserved  for 
a  Baptist  church."  The  town  was  plotted  the  day  before.  This  was 
the  spirit  prevailing  when  Brother  Proper  took  up  the  work  of  the 
Northwest  Convention.  He  had  to  do  things,  and  he  did  things. 
Some  people  wrote  his  name,  leaving  out  the  two  "  r's,"  but  that  was 
unfair.  He  had  to  do  things.  His  advisers  were  numerous,  and  their 
plans  equally  numerous.  He  had  the  spirit  of  one  of  our  early  mis- 
sionaries, who  was  a  plodder,  but  brought  things  to  pass.  Being 
asked  the  secret  of  his  success,  the  brother  said:  "When  I  find  any- 
thing to  be  done,  I  just  go  to  work  and  be  did'n  on  it." 

The  year  closes  with  a  good  record:  Baptisms,  two  hundred  and 
ninety-seven;  other  additions,  eight  hundred  and  ninety-one;  net 
gain  in  membership,  eight  hundred  and  thirty;  self-supporting 
churches,  nine;  churches  having  preaching  all  the  time,  thirty-three; 
half  the  time,  twelve;  one-fourth  the  time,  five;  and  pastorless, 
twelve. 

The  receipts  and  disbursements  for  the  year  show  $9,568  ap- 
propriated for  missionaries,  $3,100  collected  from  the  field,  and  a 
deficit  of  $1,000. 

Much  interest  was  aroused  in  the  educational  work.  An  Educa- 
tional Board  of  fifteen  members  was  appointed,  a  local  Board  of  five 
members    for   Grace    Seminary   at   Centralia,   and   a   Committee   of 


84         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Twenty-five  to  take  into  consideration  the  unity  of  our  educational 
system  and  report  at  the  next  annual  meeting. 

In  1892  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper,  the  general  missionary,  was  giving 
two-thirds  of  his  time  to  the  Northwest  Convention  field,  and  one- 
third  to  the  field  of  the  Eastern  Washington  and  Northern  Idaho 
Convention.  The  stringency  of  the  times  had  been  oppressive  along 
all  lines  of  missionary  work,  and  had  rendered  it  necessary  that  the 
financial  agent  should  be  as  resourceful  as  the  spirit  of  Christ  and 
the  free  agency  of  man  would  allow.  Aided  by  a  good  strong  Board 
both  of  ministers  and  laymen.  General  Missionary  Proper  was  ade- 
quate to  the  great  task  of  providing  for  a  $1,000  deficit,  securing  an 
increased  appropriation  from  New  York,  supporting  as  many  mission- 
aries as  the  year  before,  and  leaving  the  Convention  out  of  debt.  To 
describe  just  how  a  man  proceeds  to  accomplish  such  a  task  as  this, 
in  such  a  time  as  this,  no  writer  has  been  found  competent.  To 
describe  it,  one  must  be  familiar  with  the  man's  personality  and  fol- 
low him  as  he  goes  over  the  field  and  comes  in  contact  with  the 
people  in  their  homes,  in  the  house  where  God  meets  his  people, 
in  the  Association  and  the  Convention,  where  noble  men  of  God  give 
him  the  right  of  way  for  the  sake  of  the  cause.  You  must  hear  how 
he  pleads,  not  for  himself,  but  for  the  Convention  and  its  work,  and 
for  the  greater  work  of  the  great  Society  that  aids  the  Convention. 
You  must  see  him  as  he  touches  the  well-to-do  Christian  brother  and 
leaves  the  impress  of  the  great  work  of  God  upon  his  heart  and 
purse.  More  than  this,  you  must  go  home  with  him,  weary  and 
sometimes  discouraged,  to  that  woman  who  responds  to  his  utter- 
ance of  that  sweetest  and  dearest  of  all  earthly  names,  "  wife." 
This  is  too  sacred  a  place  for  most  readers  to  be  admitted,  but  I  have 
been  there  often,  and  can  let  you  into  this  secret  service  of  the  King. 
Her  love,  her  sympathy,  her  faith-,  her  hopefulness,  and  often  her 
wise  counsel,  prevail  with  him.  He  rises  from  this  conference  with 
new  inspiration,  new  courage,  and  new  strength.  He  is  a  wiser  and 
a  better  man. 

You  must  follow  him  along  another  path  worn  by  his  tread. 
You  may  go  with  him  until  he  enters  the  secret  place  of  the  Most 
High,  where  he  closes  the  door  after  him.  In  this  holy  of  holies  he 
seeks  the  divine  aid,  consults  with  the  great  King,  commits  all  to 
him,  and  asks  for  the  wisdom  that  comes  down  from  above.  Here 
he  gets  the  seal  of  divine  approbation,  or  absolution  for  his  error  if 
needed.  He  has  again  reported  to  God,  and  sought  fellowship  with 
the  Divine  Being  in  his  work,  and  comes  out  with  new  strength  from 
divine  sources  to  overcome  obstacles  with  wisdom  from  above,  to 
meet  emergencies  with  faith,  to  do  and  suffer  for  the  sake  of  the 
cause. 

O  men  and  women  of  God  in  the  churches  of  Jesus  Christ, 
here  is  the  man  to  whom,  all  things  considered,  God  has  thought  wise. 


THE    NORTHWEST    CONVENTION  85 

at  this  time,  to  commit  this  part  of  the  business  of  his  kingdom ! 
Will  you  help  him  and  sustain  him  ?  "  But  I  don't  like  him,  he  is  not 
my  type  of  man."  You  see  then  how  resourceful  he  must  be  to 
deal  with  you.  You  are  one  of  his  constituents.  "  He  makes  mis- 
takes." So  do  you.  That  is  human,  but  they  are  valuable  reminders 
to  you  both  that  you  are  human. 

A  strong  force  of  new  pastors  came  upon  the  field  in  1892,  and 
some  changes  were  made  by  those  already  there,  so  that  the  strategic 
centers  were  filled  with  strong  men.  Among  the  changes  we  note: 
Revs.  A.  B.  Banks,  of  Everett;  D.  J.  Pierce,  of  Snohomish;  C.  F. 
Brownlee,  of  New  Whatcom;  M.  L.  Rugg,  Market  Street  Church, 
Seattle;  M.  U.  Squire,  Port  Angeles;  W.  P.  Squires,  of  Mount 
Vernon.  Among  the  new  men.  Revs.  P.  H.  McEwen,  of  Emanuel 
Church,  Victoria,  B.  C. ;  A.  Johnson,  New  Whatcom  Scandinavian ; 
J.  Woodley,  pastor-elect  at  Fern  Hill;  W.  F.  Harper,  First  Church, 
Tacoma;  W^  E.  Prichard,  First  Church,  Olympia. 

A  notable  missionary  among  the  Scandinavians  came  upon  the 
field  this  year.  Miss  Matilda  Malmsburg,  who,  by  her  devotion  to 
Christ,  her  genial  spirit,  her  terse  and  humorous  utterances,  and  her 
aggressive  methods,  always  captured  her  audiences  and  left  them  with 
new  resolutions  to  do  greater  things  for  the  Master.  She  was 
always  and  invariably  herself,  and  was  heard  with  pleasure  and 
profit. 

The  educational  v.'ork  received  a  large  share  of  attention.  The 
Convention  voted  to  assume  the  debt  of  $2,200  against  Grace  Semi- 
nary, and  apportion  the  amount  among  the  churches.  A  committee 
was  appointed  to  provide  the  most  appropriate  name  for  the  new 
Baptist  university.  (See  under  "Christian  Education,"  in  this 
volume.) 

The  women's  societies.  Sunday-schools,  and  young  people's  so- 
cieties were  in  a  growing  condition ;  and  most  of  them  contributed  to 
the  cause  of  home  missions.  The  women's  societies  gave  three- 
fourths  of  their  collections,  amounting  this  year  to  $489,  to  aid  the 
Scandinavian  work.  Miss  Emma  Miller  had  been  sent  to  California, 
and  Miss  Fannie  Allen  now  represented  the  women's  work  on  this 
Convention  field,  as  the  appointee  of  the  Women's  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society. 

Among  those  going  on  before  to  report  in  person  to  the  Prince 
of  Peace,  in  whose  interest  this  Convention  is  operating,  we  must 
name  the  beloved  and  esteemed  Rev.  R.  Weston,  who  was  honored 
with  the  first  commission  granted  by  the  Home  Mission  Society  to 
occupy  territory  on  this  Convention  field.  He  organized  two  of  its 
oldest  churches,  namely,  the  Puyallup  Church,  and  the  Seattle  First 
Church,  and  assisted  in  organizing  the  Convention.  The  Lord  took 
him  up  higher  this  year.  There  is  but  one  voice  of  acclaim  on 
earth,  "Blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord";  and  in  heaven, 
"Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant." 


86         BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Great  anxiety  must  have  been  felt  by  the  Convention  Board  and 
the  general  missionary  this  year  because  of  the  resignation  of  nearly 
two-thirds  of  the  missionary  force.  Only  fifteen  of  the  missionaries 
under  appointment  for  the  year  held  over.  The  cause  of  such  a 
change  is  hard  to  fathom  or  to  state  if  found.  In  most  instances, 
perhaps,  the  financial  pressure,  the  spirit  of  criticism  quickened  by 
the  speculative  turn  everything  was  taking,  and  fear  that  the  "  boom  " 
would  burst,  were  causes  contributing  to  it.  Whatever  the  cause, 
the  general  desertion  of  the  field  was  hard  for  the  managers  of  the 
work  to  face  and  for  the  patrons  of  the  work  to  meet.  Great  faith  in 
the  overruling  power  of  God  was  the  only  resource  that  could  supply 
their  needs.  With  the  author,  it  was  a  grave  question  whether  our 
Convention  machinery  was  not  becoming  overloaded.  For  this 
reason  and  for  others,  a  district  missionary  was  suggested  and  urged 
by  the  Convention  Board.  When  the  New  York  Board  was  appealed 
to,  it  responded  by  the  promise  of  an  additional  $800  to  help  cover 
the  expense,  and  the  young  people's  societies  were  asked  to  supplement 
this  with  an  amount  sufficient  to  pay  the  remainder.  The  Convention 
had  set  apart  a  Sunday  in  September  as  Harvest  Home  Day  for 
the  Sunday-schools  and  the  women's  societies.  This  day  was  cele- 
brated by  eighteen  Sunday-schools  and  three  women's  societies,  and 
netted  $211.48. 

The  Convention  was  held  this  year  at  New  Westminster,  B.  C. ; 
and  the  welcome  given  by  the  Olivet  Church  and  by  the  British 
Columbia  brethren  was  suggestive  of  a  common  brotherhood  and 
unity  in  work  that  had  been  growing  for  years,  and  had  been  cemented 
and  beautifully  crystallized  by  united  effort  in  maturing  plans  and 
bearing  burdens  and  overcoming  obstacles  that  the  Baptists  of  neither 
country  could  have  well  met  alone.  The  visitors  to  the  Convention 
were  an  inspiration  also.  Rev.  Roland  D.  Grant,  D.  D.,  of  Portland, 
was  a  conspicuous  figure.  A  vote  of  appreciation  was  extended  to 
him  for  his  willing  helpfulness  and  to  the  First  Baptist  Church  of 
Portland  for  lending  him  to  the  Convention.  The  many  words  of 
cheer  and  advice  given  by  Rev.  E.  G.  Wheeler,  of  the  chapel  car 
"  Evangel,"  and  his  accomplished  and  devoted  wife,  were  also  greatly 
enjoyed  and  added  much  to  the  spiritual  uplift.  Then  too,  Rev,  F.  L. 
Sullivan,  the  field  editor  of  the  Pacific  Baptist,  was  present,  and 
focused  all  the  good  things  in  that  growing  paper  for  the  greater 
denominational  mind  and  heart.  Last,  but  not  least,  perhaps,  was 
Rev.  M.  W.  Miller,  colporter  of  the  American  Baptist  Publication 
Society,  who  made  everybody  believe  that  the  great  Society  he  repre- 
sented was  a  valuable  asset  upon  which  the  Convention  could  draw 
largely  for  means  to  aid  in  carrying  forward  its  great  work.  He 
was  right  too;  and  the  Society  represented  in  this  meeting  by  the 
Wheelers  and  the  colporter  had  a  stimulating  effect  upon  this 
memorable  meeting  of  the  Convention. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE   NORTHWEST  CONVENTION 
1893-1895 

A  great  loss.  Large  increase.  Financial  pressure.  B.  Y.  P.  U.  helpful.  District 
missionaries.  Valuable  auxiliary.  Seventy-one  ministers.  Eight  licentiates.  Educa- 
tional. Strenuous  year.  Left  the  field.  Statistics.  Panic.  Coxey's  army.  Unrest. 
Holy  Spirit  guides.  Notable  men  present.  1895  Convention  in  British  Columbia. 
Strong  men  in  the  Province.  Mission  churches  prosper.  New  Official.  Important 
report.     New  plan.     Foreign  missions.     Women's  work. 

In  1893  the  Convention  suffered  the  loss  of  three  of  its 
strongest  men,  Rev.  G.  J.  Burchett,  its  president,  and  Rev.  M.  L. 
Rugg  and  Prof.  E.  T.  Trimble,  members  of  its  Home  Mission  Board. 
This  year  fourteen  new  ministers  entered  the  field.  Twenty-four 
missionaries  were  under  commission.  There  was  a  large  numerical 
increase  of  church-members  on  the  whole  field.  The  tables  now 
show  four  thousand  four  hundred  and  forty-four  members  as  against 
three  thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty-five  the  previous  year. 
Ten  new  churches  had  been  added. 

Though  the  financial  pressure  was  still  on,  and  the  Convention 
Board  had  not  been  able  to  raise  as  much  money  for  its  work  as 
the  previous  year  by  $352.37,  yet  the  Board  had  so  carefully  conserved 
the  fund  put  into  its  hands  that,  by  including  some  cash  pledges 
unpaid,  it  closed  the  year  wthout  debt.  The  Convention  found  cause 
for  gratitude  in  this,  and  rendered  praise  in  joyous  song  to  the 
triune  God.  All  the  different  collateral  societies  of  the  churches  had 
responded  to  the  call  for  financial  aid.  The  Baptist  Young  People's 
Union  of  the  Convention  had  contributed  over  $300  to  the  support 
of  a  district  missionary.  Rev.  C.  C.  Marston,  of  Iowa,  who  had  been 
employed  by  the  Board.  It  was  a  year  of  spiritual  blessing,  and 
five  hundred  and  forty-six  baptisms  were  reported. 

The  Women's  Home  Mission  Society,  under  the  leadership  of 
Mrs.  S.  W.  Beaven,  had  a  strong  hold  upon  the  churches,  and  was  a 
valuable  auxiliary  to  the  Home  Mission  Board.  Both  the  women's 
societies  and  the  Young  People's  Union  held  interesting  sessions. 
There  were  now  seventy-one  ministers  enrolled  and  eight  licentiates. 

The  educational  work  was  still  in  a  chaotic  state.  Should  it  take 
form  and  definite  proportions  before  this  century  closes,  it  will  appear 
in  the  article  on  "  Christian  Education,"  already  referred  to. 

The  annual  meeting  was  held  with  the  old  First  Church  in 
Seattle,  and  the  delegates  were,  of  course,  royally  entertained.  The 
general  missionary  expressed  himself  as  hopeful  for  the  coming  year. 
The  Home  Mission  Society  was  now  furnishing  four  dollars  to  add  to 
every  dollar  raised  on  the  field  for  home  missions  by  the  Convention 
Board. 

87 


88         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

The  year  1894  was  a  strenuous  one  for  the  Convention  officials, 
and  we  let  the  Board  give  an  account  of  it  in  its  own  language: 

In  looking  back  over  the  year,  we  are  compelled  to  acknowledge  that 
it  has  been  one  of  the  hardest  for  the  prosecution  of  mission  work  that  we 
have  experienced  in  many  years,  if  ever  before  in  our  history.  Owing 
to  the  general  stagnation  of  business,  and  marked  depreciation  of  values, 
many  of  our  brethren  have  become  crippled  in  business,  while  some  have 
failed  entireli\  Consequent  upon  this,  the  revenues  for  the  support  of  the 
churches  have  been  greatly  reduced,  and  instead  of  debts  being  paid,  they 
have  been  increased. 

Owing  to  the  same  causes  there  have  been  frequent  removals  of  mem- 
bers, and  numerous  changes  have  taken  place  in  pastorates.  Nineteen 
pastors  out  of  thirty-eight — ^just  one-half — have  resigned,  and  changed 
lields  of  labor  during  the  year.  Several  of  the  churches  on  this  Con- 
vention field  are  still  pastorless,  and  the  outlook  is  not  very  encouraging 
for  settlements  soon.  Most  of  the  pastors  who  have  remained  with  their 
churches  have  been  compelled  to  accept  reductions  of  amounts  of  salary 
from  the  churches. 

The  j-ear  has  been  a  testing  and  sifting  time  for  the  churches  in  many 
respects.  It  has  sifted  out  some  of  the  faithless  and  formal  professors 
and  severely  tested  the  loj^alty  of  the  faithful  ones.  But  withal  there  have 
been  some  compensations,  in  these  hard,  trying  times.  They  have  de- 
veloped an  economy  in  the  management  of  church  affairs,  which  is 
fraught  with  good  for  the  future.  In  many  places  an  heroic  spirit  of  self- 
denial,  and  even  sacrifice  for  the  cause  of  Christ  has  been  revealed  on  the 
part  of  faithful  ones,  which  was  almost  surprising,  and  which  will 
prove  beneficial  in  the  future. 

Rev.  W.  F.  Harper,  president  of  the  Convention,  pastor  of  the 
Tacoma  First  Church,  and  chairman  of  the  Convention  Board,  left 
the  field,  as  did  also  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  D.  D.,  and  Rev.  J.  E.  Coombs, 
members  of  the  Board.  District  Missionary  Marston  had  resigned. 
The  Board  states  the  further  trying  conditions  as  follows : 

The  churches  in  Port  Angeles  and  Port  Townsend  have  been  without 
pastoral  care,  and  are  fast  losing  their  identity  as  churches.  As  soon  as 
there  is  a  revival  of  business,  we  ought  to  try  to  reoccupy  these  fields. 
At  Blaine  we  have  the  best  meeting-house  in  the  place — although  the 
church  is  largely  in  debt  for  it  yet — which  has  been  occupied  by  the 
Episcopalians  the  past  year.  At  Fairhaven  the  Baptist  cause  has  been  on 
the  wane  until  the  church  has  almost  lost  its  identity  as  an  organization. 
In  most  of  these  cases  there  have  been  so  many  removals,  and  such  a 
loss  of  revenues  for  the  support  of  the  churches,  owing  to  the  prostration 
of  business,  that  it  became  almost  impossible  for  them  to  support  the 
work.  Very  little  work  has  been  done  in  organizing  new  churches,  as  all 
our  means  have  been  needed  to  "  hold  fast  to  the  things  which  remain." 

In  the  whole  Convention,  according  to  the  latest  reports  available, 
there  are  seventy-six  Baptist  churches,  with  four  thousand  six  hundrd 
and  seventy-seven  members.  Additions  by  baptism,  four  hundred  and 
seventy-six,   and   other   additions    four   hundred   and   twenty-seven. 

The  panic  which  struck  the  country  the  previous  year  still  con- 
tinued, and  had  its  effect  upon  the  income  of  benevolent  societies  and 
churches.  The  "  boom  "  was  broken.  Prices  depreciated ;  building, 
to  a  large  extent,  ceased;  unrest  prevailed  both  with  capital  and 
with  labor.     This  unrest  was  shown  by  the  departure  of  six  hun- 


THE    NORTHWEST    CONVENTION  89 

dred  men  (many  of  them,  no  doubt,  "bummers"'),  who  left  Seattle 
to  join  Coxey's  army  and  march  over  the  country  to  Washington  to 
exhibit  their  wretched  appearance  to  Congress,  hoping  thereby  to 
secure  an  appropriation  to  continue  their  wretched  existence.  Re- 
ligious work  was  too  much  affected  by  the  prevailing  unrest.  The 
speculative  spirit  rested  upon  everything  and  everybody.  Pastors  and 
churches,  Associations  and  Conventions,  agents  and  missionaries, 
were  under  its  pressure;  and  when  the  "  boom  "  burst  it  was  about  as 
difficult  for  them  to  tell  where  they  were  as  it  was  for  any  other 
class.  They  felt  it  even  more  severely  because  they  had  held  up  a 
higher  standard  of  moral  and  business  life  than  others;  and  yet, 
when  the  pressure  came,  it  found  them  just  as  destitute  of  means  as 
other  people.  Their  bank  accounts  were  equally  blank  or  overdrawn. 
Both  their  assets  and  their  credit  had  been  ''appropriated";  and  now 
that  the  crisis  had  come,  the  churches  were  not  able  to  furnish  either 
cash  or  collateral  to  meet  exigencies.  The  author  has  never  been  able 
to  see  why  our  great  societies  should  "  appropriate "  money  which 
they  have  neither  in  hand  nor  in  bank.  Every  year  those  in  charge 
of  missionary  operations  have  to  use  every  possible  permissible 
scheme  to  close  the  year  without  debt;  and  if,  by  all  these  schemes, 
the  treasurer  reports,  "  Out  of  debt,"  "  no  debt,"  the  audience  rises 
and  sings,  "  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow " ;  and  then 
the  scheming  begins  again  to  see  how  much  money  can  be  raised, 
to  see  how  much  they  dare  "  appropriate  "  from  an  empty  treasury 
for  the  coming  year.  To  assume  that  the  Holy  Spirit  guides  to  such 
methods  of  doing  business  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  or  approves 
of  them,  and  then  to  sing  praises  to  the  triune  God,  requires  a  great 
stretch  of  credulity  in  us  to  believe  that  God  is  well  pleased  with 
the  praise.  Surely  the  Holy  Spirit  ought  not  to  be  charged  with  our 
loose  business  methods.  It  would  be  a  great  blessing  to  the  world  if 
expenditures  could  cease  for  a  year,  and  let  funds  accumulate  in  the 
treasury  as  God  gives  prosperity ;  and  then  begin  with  these  funds  as 
the  working  capital  to  cover  all  appropriations  for  the  ensuing  year; 
or,  to  propose  what  might  prove  more  practicable,  it  would  be  better 
to  ask  God  to  put  it  into  the  hearts  of  our  wealthy  brethren  to  liqui- 
date all  the  indebtedness  of  each  society  and  to  put  into  their  hands  a 
sufficient  sum  to  cover  a  fair  estimate  of  their  expenses  for  the  com- 
ing year,  and  let  them  use  that  as  a  working  basis  to  start  work  on  a 
pay-as-you-go  plan.  With  such  a  plan  we  believe  God's  people  would 
double  their  offering  to  spread  the  gospel.  Why  should  they  not? 
On  such  a  basis  they  would  have  the  Holy  Spirit  as  a  silent  but 
resourceful  partner. 

The  annual  meeting  was  held  in  Centralia,  where  Grace  Semi- 
nary was  located,  and  was  notable  for  the  presence  of  Rev.  H.  L. 
Morehouse,  D.  D.,  field  secretary  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mis- 
sion Society,  founder  and  president  of  the  American  Baptist  Education 
Society,  which  held  a  mortgage  on  Grace  Seminary  for  $9,000.     Rev. 


90         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

H.  C.  Woods,  D.  D.,  superintendent  of  missions  for  the  Rocky 
Mountain  District,  hereafter  to  include  the  Pacific  Coast  in  his  field, 
was  also  present.  Rev.  W.  H.  Pendleton  had  taken  the  pastorate  of 
the  Tacoma  First  Church;  Rev.  W.  F.  Taylor,  of  the  Seattle  First 
Church;  Rev.  W.  T.  Fleenor,  of  the  Seattle  Market  Street  Church; 
Rev.  J.  C.  Baker  was  now  pastor  at  LaConner;  Rev.  J-  Sunderland 
was  now  Superintendent  of  Foreign  Missions  for  the  Pacific  Coast; 
and  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  was  now  professor  of  mental  philosophy  in 
the  State  University  of  Washington. 

The  financial  statement  shows  $2,061.47  received  from  all  sources, 
with  a  deficit  of  $183,  which  ywas  pledged  before  the  Convention 
closed,  leaving  its  Board  free  of  debt. 

All  departments  of  work  under  the  auspices  of  the  Convention 
received  a  full  and  interesting  hearing,  and  reports  were  hopeful. 

Rev.  S.  A.  Abbott,  who  had  been  appointed  the  year  before  as 
corresponding  secretary  (whatever  that  meant),  presented  his  resig- 
nation; and  the  office  was  discontinued. 

As  in  the  meeting  of  the  year  before,  the  greatest  interest  was 
aroused  in  the  educational  work,  which  was  as  chaotic  as  ever. 
Some  able  papers  were  read  and  able  speeches  made.  Doctor 
Morehouse  and  Doctor  Woods  gave  a  most  pleasing,  instructive,  and 
prayerful  uplift  to  the  Convention,  which  was  greatly  appreciated  by 
all  the  delegates  present.  Rev.  Roland  D.  Grant,  of  Portland,  was 
also  a  helpful  guest. 

The  Convention  convened  for  its  eighth  annual  meeting  in  1895 
with  the  Calvary  Baptist  Church  of  Victoria,  B.  C. 

The  following  new  men  had  come  upon  the  field:  Rev.  S.  C. 
Ohrum,  succeeding  Rev.  W.  F.  Taylor,  of  Seattle  First  Church; 
Rev.  N.  H.  Harriman,  succeeding  Doctor  Pendleton,  of  Tacoma 
First ;  Rev.  Charles  Carroll,  Vancouver,  Wash. ;  Rev.  Andrew  Swartz, 
Seattle  Swedish  Church;  Rev.  D.  C.  Ellis,  Port  Townsend;  Rev. 
F.  H.  Webster,  Shelton;  Rev.  F.  O.  Lamoreux,  Port  Angeles;  Rev. 
W.  Stackhouse,  Vancouver,  B.  C,  First;  Rev.  R.  Trotter,  Victoria 
Calvary;  Rev.  P.  C.  McGregor,  Chilliwack,  B.  C,  and  Rev.  C.  A. 
Wooddy,  district  secretary  of  the  Home  Mission  Society.  Such  an 
additional  force,  with  so  many  strong  men,  was  an  offset  to  the  hard 
times  and  the  losses  of  the  previous  year. 

Though  the  panic  in  the  United  States  was  growing  worse  all  the 
time,  in  the  province  of  British  Columbia  it  was  not  so  much  felt. 

The  Board  reported  with  regret  the  removal  of  Rev.  J.  M. 
Pendleton,  president  of  the  Board,  and  of  Rev,  W.  F.  Taylor, 
president  of  the  Convention. 

The  year  had  been  prosperous  with  the  mission  churches.  There 
had  been  twenty-six  missionaries  under  appointment  serving  at 
different  periods  of  the  year.  They  had  received  three  hundred  and 
sixty-seven  members,  of  whom  one  hundred  and  eighty-nine  were  by 


THE    NORTHWEST   CONVENTION  9I. 

baptism.  Their  churches  had  paid  for  home  missions,  $727.50;  for 
foreign  missions,  $273.50;  for  other  benevolences,  $527.75,  making 
their  total  benevolences  $1,528.75;  they  had  also  paid  their  pastors 
$6,843.44 — for  building  purposes,  etc.,  $3,852,18,  and  for  current  ex- 
penses, $3,852.18.  All  these  items  yield  a  total  of  $15,122.25,  which 
makes  a  remarkable  panic  record.  The  Home  Mission  Society,  this 
year,  increased  its  pro  rata  to  five  to  one,  now  paying  five-sixths 
of  the  amount  expended  for  mission  work.  This  amount  became 
available  in  July,  and  yet  the  general  missionary  reports  that  it  is 
still  more  difficult  this  year  than  last  to  raise  money.  The  total 
receipts  for  the  district  mission  work  were  given  as  $2,100.  Of  this 
amount,  $289.80  came  from  the  women's  mission  circles;  $129.24 
from  the  Sunday-schools;  $41.04  from  the  young  people's  societies; 
and  $727.50  from  the  thirty-seven  mission  churches.  This  leaves 
$912.42  to  be  credited  to  the  thirty-six  other  churches,  and  shows 
that  the  thirty-seven  mission  churches  had  paid  nearly  as  much  for 
the  mission  work  of  the  Convention  as  the  thirty-six  other  churches 
had  done. 

This  year  marks  an  era  in  the  development  of  factors  in  the 
plan  of  co-operation  with  the  Home  Mission  Society.  A  Superin- 
tendent of  Missions  and  a  District  Secretary  were  added  last  year, 
and  this  year  are  in  full  operation.  The  Home  Mission  Committee 
presented  the  folowing  report,  which,  on  account  of  its  review  of 
present  conditions  and  its  forecast  of  the  future,  cannot  be  omitted 
as  a  historical  document: 

REPORT   ON    HOME    MISSIONS 

"  North  America  for  Christ "  has  come  to  have  a  new  meaning  since 
the  North  Pacific  Coast  has  become  more  widely  known.  This  "  motto  of 
the  Home  Mission  Society  "  at  first  distinguished  between  North  and  South 
America,  designating  North  America  as  its  field  of  operations.  Beginning 
its  work  in  the  Eastern  and  Middle  States,  and  pushing  its  conquests  north 
and  west,  it  came  to  mean,  as  interpreted  by  its  constituency,  more  the 
territory  north  and  west  of  the  Great  Lakes  known  as  "  the  northwestern 
States."  With  the  completion  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad,  connecting 
San  Francisco  and  its  tributary  territory  of  Nevada  and  California  with 
Chicago  and  the  outside  world,  it  came  to  mean  the  "  Great  West,"  in 
which  the  "North"  figures  conspicuously.  "Westward  the  Star  of 
Empire  takes  its  way "  to  San  Francisco  Bay  and  calls  a  halt  for  gold. 
The  Home  Mission  Society  follows  this  trail  and  brings  along  gold  tried 
in  the  fire,  which  neither  moth  nor  rust  corrupts  nor  thieves  break 
through  and  steal. 

But  the  gospel  needle  pointed  northward,  and  a  country  little  known 
in  the  fifties  has  since  come  to  have  world-wide  fame  as  a  coming  empire 
in  agriculture,  minerals,  lumber,  commerce,  and  population,  and  God  sent 
us  here  to  live  and  act  in  this  wonderful  development  of  a  country 
and  commerce  to  rival  ere  long  the  great  Atlantic  coast  in  towns  and  cities, 
commerce  and  education,  production  and  wealth,  population  and  religion. 
We  are  here  under  God,  not  so  much  to  make  money  as  to  make  character, 
plant  principles,  develop  righteousness,  establish  churches  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  for  the  glory  of  God,  the  uplifting  of  man  and  the  spread 
of   the    gospel,    still    northward   and   westward,   till    it    reaches    the    eight 


92  BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

hundred  million  of  earth's  people  whose  bays  and  harbors  and  coming  com- 
mercial emporiums  are  but  three  thousand  miles  west  of  us. 

Our  pioneer  society,  with  an  eye  always  upon  the  lines  of  opportunity 
and  privileges,  has  come  to  see  in  this  North  Pacific  Coast  one  of  its  most 
important  and  promising  Iklds  of  effort;  and  here  it  is  sending  its 
prospectors  to  discover  the  mines  where  the  Holy  Spirit  going  before 
has  established  claims  and  is  calling  for  workmen. 

The  society  began  its  work  on  this  North  Coast  in  Oregon,  Decem- 
ber, 1845,  four  years  before  the  "gold  exodus"  to  California.  (The  so- 
ciety began  work  in  California  in  1848,  the  year  before  the  "exodus.") 
The  society  began  work  in  Washington  Territory  in  1871  at  Oysterville ; 
and  in  British  Columbia  in  1881,  ten  years  later.  It  has  virtually  had  the 
care  of  all  the  churches.  There  is  but  one  self-sustaining  church,  or  a 
church  of  considerable  promise,  on  this  Convention  field  but  has  been 
aided  by  the  Home  Mission  Societ}'',  either  in  support  of  pastor  or  buiM- 
ing  their  house  of  worship.  The  society  has  proven  its  utility,  its  interest, 
and  comprehensive  knowledge  of  this  great  field  by  the  continued  enlarge- 
ment of  its  work.  In  1871  the  society  had  one  missionary  in  Washington 
Territory,  and  expended  $300.  In  1895  it  has  twenty-eight  missionaries 
in  this  Convention  alone  and  its  expenditures  are,  on  a  basis  of  $8,000 
for  this  Convention,  and  of  13,000  including  the  "  Eastern  Washington  and 
Northern  Idaho  Convention."  Its  first  church  edifice  help  on  this  field 
was  rendered  to  Puyallup  Church,  in  1872,  and  since  it  has  aided  in 
building  thirty-six  churches  within  the  territory  of  this  Convention. 
Considering  our  territory,  and  comparatively  this  is  not  a  large  work 
considering  the  number  of  churches  and  constituencj',  and  it  is  com- 
paratively a  very  large  expenditure  of  men  and  money;  and  we  owe, 
and  hereby  express,  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  the  society  which  we  can  only 
repay  by  our  loyalty  in  the  future.  We  also  hereby  express  our  confidence 
in  the  general  management  of  the  society,  and  in  the  representatives  of 
the  society  on  our  field,  viz.,  Rev.  H.  C.  Woods,  D.  D.,  Superintendent  of 
Missions ;  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper,  general  missionary  for  our  Convention ;  and 
Rev.  C.  A.  Wooddy,  recently  appointed  district  secretary.  Especially  we 
desire  to  mention  the  indefatigable  labors  of  our  general  missionary  and 
his  remarkable  success  in  carrying  our  Convention  over  the  last  two  years 
of  financial  depression  with  a  balance  in  our  favor. 

But  your  committee  desires  to  call  the  attention  of  your  honorable 
body  to  the  new  departure  of  the  society-  in  appointing  a  district  secre- 
tary for  territory  including  this  Convention,  and  to  express  our  most  hearty 
approval,  and  also  confidence  in  their  choice  of  Rev.  C.  A.  Wooddy  for 
the  office  of  secretary.  We  also  believe  that  this  should  mark  a  new 
era  in  the  planning  of  the  work  of  this  Convention.  That  the  Home 
Mission  Society  cannot  do  all  the  mission  work  necessary  to  be  done  on 
this  field  is  too  evident.  This  is  a  large  territory,  and  there  are  numerous 
places  needing  encouragement  and  aid,  which  cannot  be  occupied  by  the 
Home  Mission  Society  under  its  present  plans.  The  places  are  too 
numerous,  too  small,  and  the  men  at  hand  to  occupy  them  from  various 
causes  not  eligible  to  appointment  by  the  society,  and  so  these  fields 
must  necessarily  be  left  helpless  under  the  present  plans ;  and  yet,  in  the 
great  body  of  our  work,  they  are  an  important  factor.  We  must  at  once 
begin  the  inauguration  of  a  plan  to  fill  this  important  opening,  possibly 
by  use  of  talent  already  on  these  fields,  or  such  lay  or  young  people's 
talent  as  could  be  manipulated  for  such  service.  Your  Committee  is 
profoundly  impressed  with  the  importance  of  this  work,  and  recommends 
some  definite  action  be  taken  at  this  meeting  by  which  we  may  occupy 
these  fields.  Respectfully  submited, 

J.    C.    Baker,    Chairman.         Geo   M.  Terrell, 
E,   M.   Bliss,  C.    F.    Brownlee, 

Committee. 


THE    NORTHWEST    CONVENTION  93' 

A  committee  of  seven  was  appointed  to  form  a  plan  to  carry  out 
the  recommendation  of  the  Committee  on  Home  Missions  in  regard 
to  pastorless  churches. 

While  the  Convention  gave  its  largest  gifts  to  home  missions, 
yet  other  departments  of  denominational  effort  had  not  been  neglected. 
Rev.  J.  Sunderland  represented  the  foreign  mission  work.  The 
Convention  tield  had  yielded  for  this  work  $371.40.  Rev.  J.  M.  Foster, 
from  Swatow,  China,  gave  the  Convention  a  spiritual  uplift,  as  is 
always  the  case  when  a  Convention  looks  upon,  and  listens  to  a  mis- 
sionary from  the  foreign  field.  It  widens  and  clarifies  its  view  of  the 
greater  work  of  the  Master.  The  Home  for  Missionaries'  Children, 
at  that  time  the  personal  property  of  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven  and  his 
wife,  who  were  its  founders,  asked  for  a  committee  to  consider  the 
propriety  of  its  having  a  closer  denominational  relation  with  the 
Convention.  Doctor  Sunderland  spoke  emphatically  of  the  im- 
portance of  the  work  and  the  necessity  of  its  becoming  a  permanent 
institution.  Much  interest  was  manifested  in  this  home,  and  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  consider  the  matter.  The  committee 
reported : 

Whereas,  The  Home  for  Children  of  Foreign  Missionaries  estab- 
lished by  Bro.  S.  W.  Beaven  at  Burton,  Vashon  Island,  is  supplying  a 
long-felt  need ;  and, 

Whereas,  Your  Committee  feels  that  the  enterprise  should  receive 
the  deepest  sympathy  and  hearty  support  of  every  Baptist  in  the  North- 
west Convention ;  be  it 

Resolved,  That  the  women's  missionary  societies  represented  in  this 
Convention  appoint  a  representative  who,  in  conjunction  with  that  of 
California,  Oregon,  and  eastern  Washington,  shall  take  into  consideration 
the  following  questions : 

First.    The  permanence  of  the  home.    How  can  this  best  be  secured? 

Secondly.  What  relationship  shall  the  home  sustain  to  the  denomina- 
tion, and  how  such  relationship  can  be  brought  about? 

Thirdly.  How  the  societies  of  the  Pacific  Coast  can  have  a  voice  and 
interest  in  its  control  and  management? 

P'ourthly.  To  inquire  into  its  financial  condition  and  lay  wise  plans 
for  the  future,  and  to  appoint,  if  thought  best,  a  Board  of  Visitors  or 
advisors,  who  shall  as  often  as  possible  visit  the  home  and  audit  all  ac- 
counts that  concern  the  various  societies  and  the  home,  and  report  the 
same  to  you,  together  with  such  facts  as  they  deem  of  interest  to  all 
concerned. 

Mrs.  R.  S.  Greene  was  appointed  as  the  representative  of  this 
Convention. 

In  an  address  on  "  The  Chicago  Training  School  for  Mission- 
aries," the  inimitable  Miss  Matilda  Malmsberg,  herself  a  graduate  of 
that  school  and  a  most  successful  worker  among  the  Swedes,  carried 
the  interest  in  missions  among  her  people  to  a  high  tide.  She  said, 
in  part:  "Less  than  forty  years  ago  the  first  Baptist  church  was 
organized  in  Sweden.  To-day  there  are  over  fifty  thousand  Baptists 
in  that  country.     There  are  nineteen  Swedish  Baptist  churches  on 


94         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

this  coast  between  Spokane  and  San  Diego.  Ten  of  them  are  in 
Washington.  There  are  four  Swedish  women  missionaries  on  this 
coast,  one  in  CaHfornia,  two  in  Oregon,  and  one  in  Washington." 
The  Women's  Home  Mission  Society  of  Washington  was  supporting 
one  young  woman  in  the  training  school  at  this  date. 

In  the  report  of  the  Committee  on  Education,  the  picture  grows 
darker  with  the  end  looming  up  in  the  background.  (See  "  Christian 
Education.") 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE  NORTHWEST  CONVENTION 
I 896- I 898 

Panic  soaring.  The  Lord  favors  work.  Enlarging  work.  Statistics.  British 
Columbia  brethren.  What  became  of  it?  Mission  churches.  Seattle  University.  1897, 
new  era  dawning.  Convention  convalescent.  New  general  missionary.  Important 
change.  New  Convention.  Christlike  fellowship.  Still  floating.  1898,  hopeful  indi- 
cation. Wisdom  of  the  ministry.  New  pastors.  Business  methods.  Enthusiasm 
aroused.  Missionary  force  increased.  Industry  rewarded.  Statistics.  Immigration. 
Where  they  came  from. 

In  the  panic  which  began  in  1893,  and  of  which  1896  is  the 
hardest  year,  three  banks  suspended  in  Seattle,  eight  failed,  and 
values  declined  from  forty  to  eighty  per  cent.  This  is  an  index  to 
the  general  financial  condition  to  be  met  by  all  persons  who  had 
money  to  raise,  a  condition  especially  trying  to  the  Convention 
leaders.  The  finances  of  the  Convention,  however,  were  in  a 
better  state  than  in  1895.  The  total  amount  received  by  the  Board 
from  all  sources  was  $3,148.68,  $800  in  advance  of  the  previous  year. 
Yet  there  was  a  deficit  of  $350  to  make  up  at  the  Convention.  The 
women's  societies  had  paid  $405 ;  the  Sunday-schools,  from  their 
harvest  home  exercises,  $167;  the  young  people's  societies,  $120, 
making  a  total  of  $692,  and  leaving  $2,456  raised  by  the  churches. 
This  shows  a  remarkable  advance  when  the  financial  condition  of 
the  country  is  taken  into  consideration.  The  Home  Mission  Society 
had  appropriated  $8,000  to  the  field,  but  had  notified  the  Convention 
that  it  would  have  to  be  reduced  to  $7,500  for  the  coming  year,  and 
that  hereafter  it  could  carry  over  no  balance,  and  that  the  Convention 
must  meet  its  obligations  promptly.  This  year  the  Convention  Board 
had  enlarged  its  work  to  the  extent  of  six  missionaries  and  $1,290. 
The  total  appropriations  for  the  year  were  $11,148.68,  so  that  the 
Convention  Board  had  to  provide,  above  its  pro  rata  to  the  society, 
$1,348.68.  The  mission  churches,  women's  societies,  Sunday-schools, 
and  young  people's  societies  paid  $1,550.  At  this  date  the  member- 
ship of  all  the  churches  totaled  4,755,  with  sixty  ministers  and  twenty- 
five  licentiates.  Four  new  churches  had  been  organized  and  three 
ministers  ordained. 

The  British  Columbia  brethren  figured  conspicuously  in  this 
session  of  the  Convention,  and  in  the  work  of  the  year.  Rev.  J.  H. 
Best,  of  New  Westminster,  was  the  president ;  A.  B.  McNeil,  the  re- 
cording secretary;  Rev.  R.  W.  Trotter,  Rev.  W.  T.  Stackhouse,  and 
Dea.  Thomas  Haughton  were  members  of  the  Board.  Rev.  R.  W. 
Trotter  was  on  the  Executive  Committee,  and  Rev.  W.  T.  Stackhouse 
was  chairman  of  the  standing  committee  on  home  missions.  British 
Columbia  had  a  strong  force,  both  of  ministers  and  of  laymen,  and 

95 


96         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

also  of  women  in  their  departments  of  work,  who  added  greatly  to 
the  efficiency  of  the  Convention.  British  Columbia  had  eight  churches, 
with  eight  pastors,  and  in  round  numbers  a  thousand  members.  So 
far  they  had  escaped  the  depressing  practice,  common  in  the 
United  States,  of  organizing  many  weak  churches  and  leaving  them 
pastorless. 

Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  who  was  chairman  of  the  committee  appointed 
the  year  before  to  form  a  plan  to  reach  pastorless  churches  and 
destitute  fields,  left  the  Convention  field  that  year;  but  through  cor- 
respondence the  committee  presented  a  report.  What  became  of  it 
there  is  no  record. 

The  mission  churches,  which  now  numbered  twenty-one,  with 
a  membership  of  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  forty,  are  reported 
as  having  an  indebtedness  of  $40,243;  and  yet  these  mission  churches 
paid  for  home  missions  over  $800.  The  average  salary  for  the  mis- 
sionary pastor  was  now  $663,  of  which  the  churches  paid  on  the 
average  $336,  and  the  Board  $337. 

Eight  ministers  had  come  upon  the  field  this  year,  and  four  new 
churches  had  been  organized. 

Rev.  H.  C.  Woods,  D.  D.,  Superintendent  of  Missions,  residing 
at  Colorado  Springs,  was  present  at  the  session  of  the  Convention, 
and  was  helpful  in  laying  plans  for  the  future. 

Other  denominational  societies  were  represented,  and  all  de- 
partments of  work  were  given  sufficient  time  to  touch  the  great 
heart  of  the  Convention. 

The  work  of  education  came  up  for  its  share  of  attention 
with  a  definite  proposition  touching  Seattle  University.  (See  under 
"  Christian  Education.") 

In  1897  a  new  era  was  dawning  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  The 
panic  had  spent  its  force ;  values  were  .on  the  increase ;  manufactures, 
building,  and  improvements  were  supplying  labor  for  the  idle  and 
furnishing  capital  safe  investments.  Two  steamers  had  arrived  from 
the  North,  one  bringing  $500,000  and  the  other  $800,000  from  the 
Alaskan  Eldorado.  Men  were  forgetful  of  hard  times,  and  began  to 
imagine  riches  coming  by  the  shipload.  Many  were  turning  their 
faces  northward.  The  old  speculative  spirit  was  reviving,  but  a  large 
conservative  element  was  holding  it  in  check.  Times  were  really 
better,  the  people  were  hopeful,  and  general  prosperity  had,  in  a 
measure,  begun. 

The  Northwest  Convention  had  been  in  the  throes  of  the  panic, 
had  felt  its  griping  and  almost  paralyzing  effects;  but  it  now  had 
some  trained  nurses  caring  for  it,  who  had  declared  it  convalescent, 
and  able  to  take  up  the  activities  of  a  new  campaign  in  a  larger 
field  of  activity.  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper  had  resigned  as  general  mission- 
ary, and  Rev.  E.  Randall  had  been  chosen  as  his  successor.  This 
genial,   companionable,   eloquent,   and   resourceful   man   believes  not 


THE    NORTHWEST    CONVENTION  97 

only  that  the  cattle  upon  a  thousand  hills  are  the  Lord's,  but  also 
that  the  gold  in  the  mountains  belongs  to  the  Lord,  and  that  we 
ought  to  dig  for  that  as  well  as  to  lasso  the  Lord's  cattle. 

Another  important  change  occurred  this  year.  The  churches  in 
British  Columbia,  finding  that  the  resources  of  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society,  on  account  of  the  great  financial  pressure 
would  not  enable  it  to  extend  its  helping  hand  as  formerly,  had 
thought  it  the  call  of  the  Master  to  organize  a  separate  Convention  of 
their  own,  and  did  so  at  a  meeting  held  with  the  First  Church  of 
Vancouver,  B.  C,  in  July.  The  organization  represented  eleven 
churches,  ten  pastors,  about  a  thousand  members,  and  fourteen 
Sunday-schools  enrolling  eleven  hundred  and  seven  attendants.  This 
action  of  the  British  Columbia  brethren  reduced  the  forces  of  the 
Northwest  Convention  very  much,  and  the  Convention  passed  the 
following  resolution :  "  Through  amicable  adjustment,  organic  rela- 
tions with  our  British  Columbia  brethren  terminated  October  i. 
We  shall  miss  their  friendly  faces,  but  bid  godspeed  to  the  new  or- 
ganization that  has  been  formed.  It  is  hoped  that  the  extensive  may 
now  become  intensive,  and  that  our  reduced  areas  may  be  more 
thoroughly  tilled  for  the  Master." 

There  had  always  been  a  most  fraternal  and  Christlike  fellow- 
ship and  unselfish  activity  in  official  service  among  these  brethren  and 
churches  that  had  bound  us  together  with  cords  so  strong  that  only 
regret  could  be  felt  when  conditions  made  the  division  necessary  to 
promote  the  highest  and  best  interests  of  Christ's  cause.  Hereafter 
the  field  of  the  Northwest  Convention  is  limited  to  Washington 
west  of  the  Cascade  Mountains ;  but  it  is  still  large  enough  to 
challenge  the  best  efforts  of  the  foremost  men  of  our  denomination. 

The  educational  work  was,  in  1897,  still  afloat  and  drifting. 
(See  under  the  head  of  "Christian  Education.") 

In  1898  one  hopeful  indication  in  the  development  of  the  North- 
west Convention  is  seen  in  the  large  number  of  business  men  having  a 
prominent  place  in  its  management.  The  names  of  sixteen  business 
men  appear  among  those  of  the  members  of  the  Convention  Board 
this  year,  including  the  names  of  the  president  and  the  treasurer 
of  the  Convention.  This  does  not  indicate  any  lack  of  ability  in 
the  ministers  to  handle  the  interests  of  the  Convention.  It  is  rather 
an  indication  of  the  wisdom  of  the  ministers  in  calling  to  their  aid  one 
of  the  strongest  and  most  effective  agencies  of  the  church  to  carry 
forward  its  great  enterprises.  Surely  this  is  the  leading  of  the 
Spirit,  and  will  grow  in  usefulness  and  power  as  the  years  go  by. 
The  strongest  convention  on  the  Pacific  Coast  will  be  the  one  that 
succeeds  most  fully  in  developing  its  lay  element. 

New  pastors  who  appeared  on  the  field  this  year  added  strength  of 
a  desirable  character  to  the  ministry.  Among  them  were  H.  J.  Powell, 
Burton;  W.  G.  Jones,  Everett;  J.  H.  Morgan,  Issaquah;  C.  R.  Dele- 

G 


98         BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

pine,  LaConner ;  D.  W.  Thurston,  Mount  Vernon ;  F.  A.  Agar,  New 
Whatcom;  F.  A.  Gregory,  Shelton;  N.  Hayland,  Tacoma  Swedish; 
J.  L.  Smith,  Tacoma  First. 

There  are  indications  of  the  use  of  business  methods  which  lead 
to  efficiency  and  promptitude,  as  the  following  excerpts  will  show: 

Resolved,  That  when  any  member  of  the  Home  Mission  Board  has 
been  absent  from  the  regular  quarterly  meetings  twice  in  succession 
without  having  furnished  the  Board,  throup^h  its  secretary,  a  satisfactory 
excuse  for  his  absence,  he  shall  cease  to  be  a  member  of  said  Board, 
and  the  Board  shall  immediately  proceed  to  elect  a  successor  in  the 
same  manner  as  vacancies  have  heretofore  been  filled. 

Resolved,  That  the  treasurer  of  the  Convention  be  and  hereby  is 
instructed  to  close  his  books  for  this  year  on  the  thirtieth  day  of  Sep- 
tember next. 

Much  enthusiasm  was  aroused  this  year  by  the  announcement, 
by  Rev.  C.  A.  Wooddy,  that  the  Baptist  national  anniversaries  were 
to  be  held  in  San  Francisco  in  May.  This  made  the  brethren  in  the 
Northwest  feel  as  if  they  were  beginning  to  come  in  touch  with  the 
great  leaders  of  the  denomination  and  to  respond  to  the  heart- 
throbs of  the  great  host  of  God's  people  of  their  own  faith.  They 
began  to  feel  that  after  all  they  were  not  so  weak  and  few.  Steps 
were  taken  to  arrange  for  a  Pacific  Baptist  train  to  make  the  trip. 
In  the  East  these  might  seem  unimportant  historical  items,  but  not 
so  in  this  far-ofif  Northwest,  where  we  can  look  upon  the  Selkirks 
and  feel  the  breeze  from  off  the  golden  icebergs  of  Alaska.  We 
seem  so  far  from  the  great  denominational  heart  in  the  East  that  its 
fellowship  is  generally  cold,  or  lukewarm,  at  least,  before  it  reaches 
us,  by  whatever  method  of  conveyance  shipped;  but  now  that  the 
Eastern  brethren  are  coming  to  the  Pacific  Coast  by  the  trainload, 
and  we  of  the  North  are  to  meet  them  at  San  Francisco  by  limited 
express,  and  have  heart-to-heart  -fellowship,  carrying  along  with 
us  a  western  Washington  Baptist  exhibit,  we  shall  be  labeled  and 
known  and  read  of  all  the  delegates. 

Enthusiasm  was  also  aroused  by  the  annual  visits  of  Doctor 
Woods,  Superintendent  of  Missions ;  Rev.  C.  A.  Wooddy,  district  secre- 
tary for  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society;  and  this  year, 
by  that  prince  of  Sunday-school  missionaries,  D.  P.  Ward,  of  Cali- 
fornia, whose  spirited  address  was  helpful  not  only  to  the  Sunday- 
school  work,  and  to  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society's  work, 
which  he  represented,  but  also  to  other  lines  of  work. 

All  departments  of  the  Convention's  work  seem  to  be  taking 
on  new  life.  The  educational  committee,  while  not  especially  relieved, 
decided  to  represent  the  Convention  in  an  educational  conference  of 
the  Pacific  Coast  to  be  held  in  San  Francisco  at  the  time  of  the  May 
Anniversaries. 

The  Convention  Board  had  increased  its  missionary  force  to 
twenty-seven,    caring    for    thirty-eight    churches    and    twenty-three 


THE    NORTHWEST    CONVENTION  99 

substations.    The  country  is  being  relieved  of  the  financial  panic,  and 
the    Board    reports : 

"  Abundant  crops  have  rewarded  industry,  mills  and  factories 
are  vocal  with  the  hum  of  activity,  anxiety  and  waiting  are  fast 
giving  way  to  courage  and  energy."  The  mission  churches,  as  usual, 
seem  to  be  leading  in  benevolences,  having  contributed  $888.10  for 
Convention  missions,  $56.53  for  home  missions,  $400.98  for  foreign 
missions,  $498  for  other  benevolences,  $5,810  on  pastors'  salaries, 
$2,142  on  debts,  and  $2,139  ^o^  current  expenses,  making  a  total  of 
about  $12,000  paid  by  these  struggling  churches.  The  receipts  from 
the  other  churches  seem  very  meager.  Including  $768.27,  on  hand 
at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  $2,382.57  covers  the  receipts  for  the 
year.  Deducting  the  cash  on  hand,  and  $888.10  paid  by  the  mis- 
sion churches,  leaves  but  $731.20  collected  from  all  the  other  churches 
for  Convention  missions.  Such  results  tabulated  year  after  year, 
though  not  always  with  the  same  disproportion,  suggest  one  of  two 
things,  either  that  the  mission  churches  are  largely  infused  with  the 
missionary  spirit,  or  that  an  unusual  pressure  must  have  been  brought 
to  bear  upon  them.  Brother  Randall  closes  the  report  of  the  Board 
as  follows : 

The  attention  of  thoughtful  persons  is  arrested  by  the  tide  of  immi- 
gration pressing  toward  the  Puget  Sound  country  as  the  Star  of  Em- 
pire continues  its  westward  course.  They  come  from  China  and  Japan; 
they  come  from  Europe ;  they  come,  the  hopeful  and  the  discouraged, 
from  Eastern  States.  All  of  these,  as  well  as  the  unevangelized  thousands 
now  here,  must  have  the  gospel  or  perish ! 

Moved  with  sympathy  and  inspired  by  the  Master's  parting  words, 
shall  we  not  rededicate  ourselves  to  Christian  living  and  service? 

Let  the  obtaining  of  spiritual  power  be  our  first  and  largest  deter- 
mination as  we  face  the  duties  and  possibilities  before  us. 

Wm.  E.  Randall.  Corresponding  Secretary. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

TWELFTH  YEAR  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  CONVENTION 

1899 

Normal  conditions.  Home  Mission  Society  same  yesterday  and  to-day.  Conven- 
tion no  longer  a  child.  Raised  up  for  such  a  time  as  this.  Well  equipped.  Well 
organized.  Wise  forecast.  Advance  movement.  Foreign  missions.  City  missions. 
Painful  announcement.  Missionary  force.  "  North  Pacific  University."  Systematic 
beneficence. 

There  appeared  to  be  a  growing  condition  of  normal  healthful- 
ness  in  the  Northwest  Convention,  in  1899,  heretofore  not  so  appar- 
ent. The  factions  and  jealousies  so  long  prominent  in  this  territory 
before,  and  immediately  after  the  division  of  the  Convention  of  the 
North  Pacific  Coast  into  districts  and  the  organization  of  the  Western 
district  into  the  Northwest  Convention,  were  causes  which  contributed 
largely  to  bring  about  the  premature  dissolution  of  the  old  Convention. 
Under  the  plan  of  co-operation  with  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mis- 
sion Society,  normal  conditions  have  been  restored.  For  about  two 
years  the  three  Conventions  growing  out  of  the  original  one  have 
all  been  under  the  care  of  a  Superintendent  of  Missions,  with  a 
district  secretary  added.  The  machinery  of  1885  is  in  full  operation 
with  the  addition  of  this  new  official  and  manager.  Meanwhile  the 
grand  old  Home  Mission  Society  has  not  in  any  way  abated  its  inter- 
est in  the  field,  nor  ceased  to  control  its  own  work,  nor  withdrawn  a 
fraction  of  its  helpfulness,  except  in  so  far  as  the  financial  pressure 
of  the  times  rendered  it  absolutely  necessary.  Those  who  impeded 
the  progress  of  establishing  the  Baptist  denomination  on  the  North- 
west Coast  under  denominational  precedents  of  half  a  century,  have 
either  been  absorbed  by  the  movement  or  called  up  higher,  or  are 
operating  locally  where  they  do  not  affect  the  greater  work  of 
denominational  expansion.  The  depressing  effects  of  the  financial 
panic,  and  of  the  burning  of  cities,  are  being  relegated  to  the  past. 
They  no  longer  furnish  grounds  for  retrenchment  or  discouragement; 
but  now  that  we  have  survived  them  and  entered  upon  a  prosperous 
career,  they  become  a  stimulus  rather  to  greater  effort  and  greater 
consecration  for  the  larger  work  now  demanded  of  the  Northwest 
Convention  by  the  Master.  The  days  of  the  Convention's  minority 
are  past.  Now  it  must  arise  in  the  strength  of  its  manhood  and  of 
Israel's  God,  grasp  the  possibilities,  meet  the  requirements,  and 
succeed.  Men  of  God  are  needed,  such  as  are  truly  called  of  God 
and  raised  up  for  such  a  time  as  this.  The  Lord  will  provide  such 
men  as  the  years  go  by.  He  always  has.  He  always  will.  He  can 
be  trusted.  The  triune  God  is  behind  the  Convention.  The  King  of 
100 


THE    NORTHWEST    CONVENTION  lOI 

Righteousness  is  ordering  out  his  forces;  the  Prince  of  Peace  is 
leading;  the  Holy  Spirit  is  opening  the  way  for  the  Northwest  Con- 
vention to  enter  the  twentieth  century  with  a  well-organized  and 
intelligently  equipped  force  with  definite  aims  to  do  valiant  service 
for  the  Master.  We  make  the  following  quotations  from  the  reports 
of  the  year,  which  appear  as  evidence  of  such  leadership  and 
preparation  as  hereinbefore  indicated: 

RECOMMENDATIONS    OF    THE    BOARD 

In  view  of  the  imperative  necessity  for  entering  new  fields  and 
undertaking  new  lines  of  work,  we  earnestly  urge  our  mission  churches 
to  greater  diligence  in  attaining  self-support.  In  the  administration  of 
its  stewardship,  the  Board  will  insist  upon  this  course.  We  believe 
the  Board  is  often  unnecessarily  asked  to  appropriate  missionary  money 
on  account  of  the  failure  of  churches  to  pursue  systematic  methods  for 
raising  money.  We  believe  the  organization  of  our  young  people  and 
children  into  societies  within  the  church  should  be  for  the  specific  pur- 
pose of  Christian  culture  and  training,  and  that  these  societies  should 
not  be  made  agencies  for  collecting  money.  We  look  with  disfavor  upon 
assessments  and  appeals  sent  to  these  societies  for  separate  offerings, 
believing  churches  should  give  as  a  whole,  in  a  regular  manner,  through 
our  recognized  denominational  societies. 

Believing  the  time  has  come  for  an  advance  movement  in  Convention 
work,  we  recommend  the  passing  of  ringing  resolutions:  (i)  Calling 
upon  churches  to  press  local  evangelization  and  the  quest  for  souls ; 
(2)  holding  missionary  pastors  responsible  for  the  development  of  the 
missionary  spirit  among  their  people — failure  to  invest  effort  in  this  direc- 
tion to  be  deemed  evidence  of  disqualifying  inefficiency. 

The  work  among  the  foreign  population  received  a  good  hearing, 
and  the  Board  gave  utterance  to  the  prevailing  sentiment  in  the  Con- 
vention as  follows : 

"  The  relative  importance  of  this  missionary  work  cannot  be  easily 
overestimated.  It  is  foreign  mission  work  thrust  upon  the  Home 
Mission  Society  and  western  Washington  Baptists.  Christianity  cannot 
anticipate  a  continuous  favorable  reception  in  the  Orient  if  it  passes 
by  the  representatives  of  the  races  providentially  brought  to  our  own 
shores!  If  we  are  enthusiastic  over  the  unsaved  beyond  the  sea  and 
apathetic  in  our  relation  to  the  unsaved  here,  sentiment  and  not  con- 
viction dominates  our  emotions.  This  *  ought  ye  to  have  done,  and  not  to 
leave  the  other  undone.' " 

There  is  growing  interest  in  the  mission  Board  concerning  city 
mission  work.  A  conviction  is  gaining  ground  each  year  that  these 
centers  of  population  and  influence  are  not  receiving  the  attention 
their  importance  demands.  How  to  meet  this  crying  need  is  not  yet 
apparent;  but  that  it  must  be  met,  and  that  soon,  is  the  conviction  of 
the  Board. 

The  Convention  was  pained  by  the  official  announcement  of  the 
death  of  Rev.  H.  C.  Woods,  D.  D.,  whom  the  delegates  had  learned 
to  love  so  well  as  Superintendent  of  Missions.  His  memory  will 
abide,  both  in  his  official  capacity  in  the  meetings  of  the  Board,  and 
in  his  genial  and  Christlike  spirit  in  the  general  meetings,  as  an 
inspiration   and   a   benediction.     Rev.    C.   A.   Wooddy,    D.    D.,   who 


102       BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

succeeded  him  in  the  office  of  Superintendent  of  Missions  for  the 
Pacific  Coast,  was  heartily  welcomed  by  the  assembled  Convention. 

The  missionary  force  of  the  Convention,  at  this  time,  consisted 
of  twenty-eight  missionaries,  supplying  thirty-six  churches  and 
twenty-eight  outstations.  The  total  resident  membership  in  the 
mission  churches  was  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  twenty-two. 
They  had  forty-five  Sunday-schools,  with  an  enrolment  of  about  two 
thousand  five  hundred.  These  churches  contributed  to  the  Convention 
work  $959.10,  with  liberal  offerings  to  other  objects.  The  treasury 
of  the  Convention  was  in  a  favorable  condition  for  an  advance 
movement.  The  missionary  appropriations  for  the  year  amounted 
to  $8,168.93.  Of  this,  $6,500  had  been  appropriated  by  the  Home 
Mission  Society,  $1,559-77  had  been  collected  on  the  field,  and  the 
balance  on  hand  at  the  close  of  the  year  was  $265.67.  There  were 
seventy-two  ordained  ministers  on  the  field  and  eleven  licentiates. 
Ten  new  ministers  had  entered  the  field,  and  five  had  left  it  that 
year.  Eight  churches  had  been  organized,  and  five  meeting-houses 
had  been  built.  The  total  membership  of  the  Convention  churches 
numbered  three  thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirty-five. 

In  the  educational  field  an  effort  was  being  made  to  connect  the 
"  North  Pacific  University "  with  the  State  University  of  Wash- 
ington, at  Seattle.  A  committee  was  to  consult  with  the  authorities 
of  the  State  University  and  report  whether  such  a  plan  was  feasible. 

Systematic  beneficence  was  given  a  large  place  in  the  Convention, 
as  will  appear  more  fully  in  the  next  chapter. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THIRTEENTH  YEAR  OF  THE  NORTHWEST  CONVENTION 

1900 

Qosing  a  century.  Focused  at  Everett.  A  prosperous  year.  Summary.  Taking 
form.  Education.  A  live  issue.  Demands  of  the  twentieth  century.  Recommenda- 
tions. Appreciation.  Rising  from  buried  hopes.  Broader  conceptions.  Comparative. 
Most  important.  Completing  the  record.  Churches.  Ministers.  Laymen.  Pastoral 
office.    Prophetic  signs. 

It  is  fitting  that  the  closing  year  of  a  century  should  be  marked 
in  Convention  history  as  dealing  with  both  the  past  and  the  future. 
The  annual  meeting  was  held  in  the  growing  and  thriving  city  of 
Everett,  and  was  entertained  by  the  comparatively  young  and 
vigorous  Everett  First  Church,  which  now  numbered  two  hundred 
and  six  members,  seventy-one  having  been  added  this  year.  The 
church  was  under  the  care  of  Pastor  W.  G.  Jones,  one  of  the  strong 
and  growing  men  of  the  Convention.  The  church  had  become  self- 
supporting  this  year,  and  impressed  the  whole  delegation  with  joy 
and  hope. 

The  Convention  year  had  been  one  of  prosperity  and  encour- 
agement in  all  lines  of  Christian  effort.  Eight  hundred  and  fifty-seven 
members  had  been  added  to  the  churches,  two  hundred  and  eighty- 
seven  of  them  by  baptism;  eleven  new  ministers  had  come  upon  the 
field;  three  new  church  edifices  had  been  erected;  and  four  new 
churches  had  been  organized.  The  Sunday-school  enrolment  was 
five  thousand  two  hundred  and  thirteen.  The  church  property  was 
valued  at  $144,550.  Rev.  A.  W.  Rider  represented  the  Missionary 
Union,  to  which  the  churches  had  contributed  $1,486.94.  The  Wo- 
men's Foreign  Mission  Society,  which  was  adding  largely  to  the 
interest  in  all  missionary  gatherings,  had  collected  on  the  field 
$502.44;  and  the  Women's  Home  Mission  Society,  equally  ener- 
getic and  successful,  had  raised  $341.57.  There  had  been  raised  for 
the  Convention  work  $2,754.23,  and  the  total  contributions  for  the 
year  reached  $28,754.23.  The  missionary  appropriations  of  the  Con- 
vention Board  for  the  year  were  $9,817.89,  of  which  the  Home  Mis- 
sion Society  had  paid  $7,063.66.  The  Baptist  Young  People's  Union 
of  the  Convention  numbered  fifteen  local  societies,  but  the  work 
among  the  young  people  had  not,  up  to  this  time,  been  made  a  special 
department  of  the  work  of  the  Convention. 

A  growing  interest  in  finances  is  evidently  developing,  and  is 
taking  form  as  follows : 

SYSTEMATIC     BENEFICENCE — THE     PL.\N 

(Adopted  October,   1898) 
I.  Let  every  member  of  the  Convention  churches  be  urged  to  devote 
at  least  one-tenth  of  his  income  to  God. 

103 


104      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

2.  Let  there  be  two,  and  only  two,  continuous  offerings  in  each  church, 
one  for  local  expenses  and  the  other  for  beneficence. 

3.  Local  Expenses :  For  its  next  fiscal  year  let  the  church — 

(i)  Make  a  careful  estimate  of  the  expenses  of  its  local  work, 
including  Sunday-school,  local  missions,  young  people's  work,  women's 
societies,  and  other  departments  of  the  church. 

(2)  Secure  from  each  member  the  pledge  of  a  weekly  offering  toward 
these  expenses. 

(3)  Give  to  each  pledger  fifty-two  envelopes,  one  of  which  is  to  be  de- 
posited with  its  offering  each  Sunday. 

(4)  Let  all  expenses  of  the  local  work  be  paid  from  the  church 
treasury. 

4.  Beneficence :  Let  all  departments  of  the  church  co-operate  in 
beneficence.  Let  all  offerings  of  all  departments,  except  special  offerings 
for  particular  purpose,  go  into  the  general  beneficent  fund. 

(i)  Give  to  each  contributor  twelve  "lay-by"  envelopes,  one  of 
which  is  to  be  returned  with  its  offering  the  first  Sunday  of  each  month. 

(2)  At  the  end  of  each  quarter  let  the  offering  for  beneficence  be 
divided  and  forwarded  to  the  various  denominational  interests  in  the 
following  proportion :  Convention,  fifty-five  per  cent ;  foreign  missions, 
twenty  per  cent;  home  missions,  ten  per  cent;  Publication  Society,  ten 
per  cent ;  ministerial  education,  five  per  cent. 

5.  Let  special  offerings  for  particular  purposes  be  made  at  the  dis- 
cretion of  the  church. 

6.  Let  there  be  a  systematic  monthly  presentation  of  the  various 
objects  of  beneficence. 

Let  each  church  appoint  a  Commission  on  Systematic  Beneficence  for 
the  proper  administration  of  this  plan. 

In  the  educational  situation,  certain  propositions  from  the  State 
University  were  still  in  the  hands  of  the  Board  of  the  North  Pa- 
cific University,  which  was  still  "  studying  the  situation  and  working 
toward  a  comprehensive  plan." 

A  live  issue  in  the  Convention  at  this  time,  and  one  that  has  been 
so  for  some  years,  is  the  pressing  demand  for  city  mission  work. 
The  Mission  Board  gives  expression  to  its  interest  and  purpose  in 
strong  language,  as  follows: 

OUR    CITIES 

Probably  no  man  in  America  is  better  qualified  than  Rev.  H.  L.  More- 
house, D.  D.,  field  secretary  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society,  for  properly  estimating  the  future  of  the  various  sections  of  our 
land.  Concerning  our  own  Convention  field,  the  following  sentences  were 
incorporated  in  his  last  annual  report: 

"  Recent  events  in  our  national  history  have  given  to  the  West, 
relatively,  greater  importance  than  ever  before  in  our  history.  Too 
much  emphasis  can  hardly  be  laid  upon  the  firm  establishment  of  strong 
Baptist  churches  at  the  great  centers  of  power.  Fifty  years  hence, 
doubtless  there  will  be  a  city  of  a  million  souls  on  the  shores  of  Puget 
Sound,  and  other  cities  of  large  proportions." 

The  duty  of  firmly  establishing  and  largely  extending  our  work  in 
Seattle,  Tacoma,  New  Whatcom,  Everett,  and  Olympia,  is  imperative. 
Our  city  churches  have  opportunities  and  obligations  that  cannot  well 
be  overestimated.  If  wisely  invested,  too  large  a  sum  cannot  be  ap- 
propriated for  work  in  the  strategic  centers. 


THE    NORTHWEST    CONVENTION  IO5 

The  Board  urges  a  forward  movement  along  several  other  lines, 
the  importance  of  which  cannot  be  overestimated  as  the  demands  of 
the  twentieth  century  begin  to  press  upon  us.  The  following  quo- 
tation from  the  report  of  the  Board  covers  the  ground: 

RECOM  M  END  ATION  S 

The  reports  from  our  churches  indicate  that  a  large  per  cent  of 
beneficence  is  classified  as,  "paid  for  other  benevolent  objects."  We 
earnestly  urge  the  wisdom  and  duty  of  recognizing  the  importance  of  con- 
tributing through  the  well-managed  Home  Mission  Society,  Missionary 
Union,  Northwest  Convention,  and  other  approved  denominational 
agencies.  Leakages  in  beneficence  not  infrequently  involve  losses  more 
serious  than  that  of  money.  Contributions  through  the  regular  channels 
are  never  wasted,  but  always  invested  with  care  by  persons  chosen  on 
account  of  experience  and  intelligent  fidelity.  Study  the  opportunities  for 
establishing  churches  and  making  Christian  conquest  upon  the  Convention 
field  in  our  own  country  and  throughout  the  world.  Contribute  system- 
atically to  all,  apportioning  your  offerings  thoughtfully  and  prayerfully, 
and  place  the  same  in  the  treasuries  of  your  missionary  organizations. 

A  recommendation  made  one  year  ago  is  renewed :  "  We  believe  the 
organization  of  our  young  people  and  children  into  societies  within  the 
church  should  be  for  the  specific  purpose  of  Christian  culture  and  training, 
and  that  these  societies  should  not  be  made  agencies  for  collecting  money. 
We  look  with  disfavor  upon  assessments  and  appeals  sent  to  these 
societies  for  separate  offerings,  believing  churches  should  give  as  a  whole, 
in  a  regular  manner,  through  our  recognized  denominational  societies." 

Confronted  with  splendid  opportunities  for  inaugurating  Christian 
work  at  many  places  upon  our  Convention  field — opportunities  that  con- 
stitute obligation — we  again  urge  upon  our  mission  churches  the  duty  of 
pressing  toward  self-support,  thereby  enabling  the  Board  to  invest  funds 
represented  in  present  appropriatioins  in  new,  important  missionary  work. 

If  a  church  considers  self-support  of  secondary  importance,  uses  its 
funds  for  other  purposes,  and  depends  upon  the  limited  missionary  funds 
of  the  Home  Mission  Society  and  Northwest  Baptist  Convention  for 
large  appropriations,  a  serious  question  arises  as  to  the  wisdom  of 
additional  investment  of  missionary  funds  upon  the  field.  If  a  church 
has  sufficient  financial  ability  for  making  large  contributions  to  various 
objects,  it  is  morally  wrong  to  ask  appropriations  from  the  treasury  of 
the  Home  Mission  Society  and  the  Convention,  thereby  deferring  and 
defeating  response  to  appeals  from  other  fields. 

We  urge  upon  our  churches  and  individual  members  the  duty  of 
extending  local  evangelization  and  outstation  work,  and  the  winning  of 
souls  to  Christ. 

We  call  special  attention  to  the  paramount  importance  of  work  upon 
our  Convention  field  at  this  present  time.  Too  much  emphasis  cannot 
be  placed  upon  the  immediate  laying  of  foundations  and  fostering  of 
churches.  The  action  of  the  Home  Mission  Society  in  increasing  the 
appropriation  for  the  new  year  to  $8,000  reveals  the  estimate  of  the 
society  relative  to  the  importance  of  large  activity  upon  our_  field.  This 
generous  appropriation  should  receive  our  grateful  recognition  and  stir 
our  hearts  to  increased  effort. 

In  the  name  of  Him  who  has  called  us  into  Christian  hope  and 
service,  assured  of  the  Divine  Presence,  shall  we  not  undertake  greater 
sacrifice  for  our  Lord?  Let  us  inaugurate  the  new  century  with  a  year 
of  devotcmcnt  to  our  Lord,  welcoming  and  improving  the  opportunities 
and  counting  it  a  joy  to  make  sacrifice  for  our  Master. 

In  behalf  of  the  Board,  W.\i.  E.  Rand.\ll. 


I06      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

The  Convention  placed  on  record  the  following  report,  express- 
ing appreciation  of  the  Home  Mission  Society: 

Your  committee  desires  to  place  on  record  its  high  appreciation  of  the 
aid  rendered  our  Convention  by  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society.  It  is  with  feelings  of  deepest  gratitude  that  we  acknowledge  the 
increasing  power  of  the  society's  helping  hand,  and  we  urge  our  people 
to  show  by  work  and  gift  that  the  society  has  made  no  mistake  by 
placing  at  our  disposal  so  large  a  sum  of  the  Lord's  money. 

The  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  was  pushing  its 
work  bravely  and  intelligently  under  the  leadership  of  James  Ed- 
munds, Sunday-school  missionary,  and  Rev.  A.  H.  Hause,  colporter, 
who  were  always  welcomed,  and  their  work  given  a  place  in  the 
Convention. 

Rising  again  from  the  buried  hopes  and  the  property  lost  in  the 
great  fire  in  Seattle  which  laid  its  entire  business  district  in  ashes 
in  1889,  and  from  the  fire  in  Vancouver,  B.  C,  in  1890,  and  from 
the  further  depressing  effects  of  the  great  panic  beginning  in  1893, 
and  from  the  bursting  of  the  "  boom,"  in  which  went  out  the  hopes 
and  the  wealth  of  tens  of  thousands,  new  life  is  awakening,  broader 
conceptions  of  the  Master's  work  on  this  great  field  are  unfolding, 
and  new  energy  is  available  as  these  men  of  God  watch  the  close  of 
the  nineteenth  and  the  beginning  of  the  twentieth  century.  The 
ruins  of  the  burned  cities  have,  by  degrees,  been  surmounted  by  the 
walls  of  more  magnificent  structures.  The  small  cities  are  rapidly 
filling  up  with  an  energetic  and  well-to-do  class  of  citizens  and 
business  men.  The  large  cities  are  abreast  of  those  of  older  States  in 
their  educational  and  religious  facilities.  The  country  is  being  peo- 
pled with  a  thrifty  class  of  farmers,  both  native  and  foreign;  and  the 
gold  fields  tributary  to  the  cities  are  becoming  an  inexhaustible 
Eldorado.  Material  prosperity  is  evident  from  the  rapid  accumu- 
lation of  manufactories  and  the  building  of  railways,  especially 
of  connecting  transcontinental  lines.  The  commerce  of  the  Pacific 
is  growing  to  such  proportions  that,  looking  upon  the  face  of  the 
Atlantic,  we  see  mirrored  there  the  future  of  the  Pacific  with  her 
waters  reflecting  the  image  of  coming  great  cities,  such  as  dot  the 
Atlantic  coast. 

Yet,  more  important  than  all,  here  are  men  of  God  upon  whose 
hearts  he  has  laid  the  work  of  a  like  growth  in  the  regeneration  of 
perishing  millions  who  are  coming  to  this  Convention  field,  and  of 
providing  facilities  for  carrying  the  good  news  of  the  kingdom  across 
the  Pacific  to  be  declared  to  two-thirds  of  the  earth's  population. 
Here  are  men  who  have  heard  the  call  of  the  Spirit  to  lay  the  foun- 
dation for  the  creation  and  development  of  agencies  of  their  own  to 
send  the  gospel  direct  from  their  own  shores  to  the  most  densely 
populated  countries  of  the  earth.  Such  is  the  weight  of  responsibility 
which  has  pressed  itself  upon  the  shoulders  of  the  Northwest  Con- 


THE    NORTHWEST    CONVENTION  IO7 

vention  as  we  have  traced  its  growth  from  its  incipient  stage  to  the 
close  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

It  remains  only  to  complete  the  record  with  a  statement  of  the 
forces  and  their  standing  as  they  are  marshaled  to  enter  the  conflict 
against  Satan  for  the  molding  and  control  of  life  in  the  twentieth 
century.  There  are  seventy-six  churches,  with  Jesus  Christ  as 
their  head  and  the  word  of  God  as  their  guide.  There  are  three 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  eighty-one  members  of  these  churches 
who  have  been  born  again  and  baptized  into  the  likeness  of  Christ's 
death.  Thus,  they  become  members  of  Christ's  body,  and  are  en- 
listed in  Christ's  service,  to  go  where  he  goes  and  follow  where  he 
leads,  always  obeying  his  orders.  There  are  sixty-six  ministers  of 
the  gospel,  called  of  God  and  ordained  to  be  pastors  or  bishops  of 
these  churches.  They  are  pledged  too,  and  have  been  set  apart  by 
the  laying  on  of  hands,  and  by  prayer,  to  serve  the  churches  of  which 
Christ  Jesus  is  the  head.  Evidently  God  has  put  these  sixty-six 
ministers  on  the  field  to  care  for  these  seventy-six  churches;  and, 
lest  any  of  them  should  be  disabled,  he  has  added  to  the  force  eleven 
licentiates,  to  supply  any  unavoidable  deficiency,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  learn  by  experience  how  to  become  pastors  themselves. 

Forty  of  these  churches  are  mission  churches  aided  by  the  Con- 
vention Board  in  the  support  of  their  pastors,  with  means  put  into  the 
Convention  treasury  to  be  used  for  that  purpose.  These  churches 
are  independent  bodies  in  all  particulars,  in  the  same  way  as  the 
other  churches  which  are  self-sustaining.  They  are  no  more  the 
servants  of  the  Convention,  nor  of  the  Convention  Board,  nor  of 
Convention  officials,  nor  of  the  Home  Mission  Society  than  are 
the  other  churches.  They  are  the  equals  of  the  other  churches  in 
every  respect.  Therefore,  it  is  right  to  count  them  in  the  Convention 
force  the  same  as  others. 

There  are  a  large  number  of  laymen  officially  connected  with 
the  Convention  work.  Among  the  officers  of  the  Convention  there 
are  but  two  ministers,  namely,  the  historical  and  corresponding  secre- 
taries ;  on  the  Board  of  Trustees,  there  is  but  one  minister ;  and  on  the 
Convention  Board  of  twenty-one  members,  there  are  but  six  ministers. 
It  is  a  most  hopeful  feature  that  business  men  are  willing  to  devote 
their  time  to  this  service  and  leave  the  pastors  free  to  give  their  time 
to  the  ministry  of  the  word  and  to  the  service  of  the  church;  and 
it  does  not,  in  any  way,  reflect  upon  the  standing  or  ability  of  the 
ministry.  The  pastoral  office  is  the  highest  and  most  honorable  in 
the  gift  of  the  church.  It  is  supreme,  since  the  pastor  is  called  of 
God  and  set  apart  by  the  church  of  which  Jesus  Christ  is  the  head. 
The  pastor  is  not  subject  to  Convention,  Association,  Mission  Board, 
or  Missionary  Society.  All  these  are  creatures  of  the  churches  and 
amenable  to  the  churches,  with  their  pastors  as  leaders,  and  it  would 
seem  to  be  wisdom  of  Divine  begetting  to  leave  the  pastors  and  the 
churches  they  serve  to  pursue  the  higher  calling  of  soul-winning  and 


I08       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

the  building  up  of  Christian  character  and  of  strong  churches  of 
Jesus  Christ,  while  the  laymen  should  work  out  the  business  propo- 
sitions connected  with  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  The  twentieth  century 
will,  doubtless,  be  notable  for  the  development  of  laymen  in  religious 
work,  and  there  are  now  prophetic  signs  of  a  large  increase  in  the 
membership  of  the  churches  and  of  their  official  organizations.  With 
such  a  brilliant  array  of  consecrated  lay  talent  in  the  Northwest 
Baptist  Convention,  co-operating  with  an  equally  brilliant  and  con- 
secrated array  of  ministerial  talent,  the  Convention  will  be  followed 
by  the  earnest  and  prayerful  expectations  of  the  great  Baptist  de- 
nomination as  it  takes  up  the  new  and  greater  program  of  the 
twentieth  century  on  this  field,  one  of  the  most  important  now  open 
for  Christian  effort  in  America. 

This  section  closes  with  the  official  calendar  of  the  affiliated 
societies  of  the  General  Convention : 

AFFILIATED    SOCIETIES 

The  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  of  the  Northwest  Convention. 
President,  Rev.  Louis  S.  Bowerman,  Seattle.  Secretary,  Dr.  W.  L. 
Moon,  Tacoma. 

The  Women's  Foreign  Mission  Society  of  western  Washington 
and  British  Columbia.  Honorary  vice-president,  Mrs.  F.  M.  Williams, 
Seattle. 

The  Women's  Home  Alission  Society  of  western  Washington 
and  British  Columbia.  President,  Mrs.  S.  W.  Beaven,  Burton. 
Secretary,  Miss  Carrie  Kalloch,  New  Whatcom.  Missionary,  Miss 
Mathilda  Malmberg,  representing  the  women's  work  among  the 
Scandinavians. 

Home  Mission  Society  of  the  West.  State  vice-president,  Mrs. 
S.  W.  Beaven.  Associational  director  Puget  Sound,  Mrs.  M.  V. 
Johns.    Associational  director  of  Northwestern,  Mrs.  L.  G.  Sawyer. 

Foreign  Mission  Society  of  the  West.  State  secretary,  Miss 
Carrie  M.  Kalloch.  Secretary  of  Northwestern  Association,  Mrs.  E. 
R.  Bailey.  Secretary  of  Puget  Sound  Association,  Mrs.  C.  D. 
Spencer. 

Missionary  Union.  Rev.  A.  W.  Rider,  district  secretary  for  the 
Pacific  Coast,  Oakland,  Cal. 

OFFICIAL   CALENDAR    AND    BOARD   OF   THE    NORTHWEST   BAPTIST    CONVEN- 
TION   IN    1900 

President,  Corwin  S.  Shank,  Seattle.  First  vice-president,  Eric 
Edw.  Rosling,  Tacoma.  Second  vice-president,  Prof.  Mark  Bailey, 
Jr.,  Tacoma.  Honorary  vice-presidents,  Mrs.  S.  W.  Beaven,  Burton; 
R  M.  Williams,  Seattle.  Clerk,  Rev.  W.  H.  Gibson,  Aberdeen.  Cor- 
responding secretary,  Rev.  William  E.  Randall,  Tacoma,    Treasurer, 


THE    NORTHWEST    CONVENTION  IO9 

G.  W.  Fowler,  Tacoma.  Historical  secretary,  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker, 
Bellvue. 

Trustees.  Rev.  Geo.  D.  Downey,  Puyallup;  C.  J.  Erickson, 
Seattle;  B,  W.  Johns,  Olympia;  Eric  Edw.  Rosling,  Tacoma;  Alonzo 
Hull,  Seattle;  Mrs.  Robert  Moran,  Seattle;  Peter  Hansen,  Tacoma. 

Board.  One  year:  Rev.  Geo.  D.  Downey,  Puyallup;  Alonzo 
Hull,  Seattle;  C.  J.  Erickson,  Seattle;  D.  S.  Garlick,  Tacoma;  Jesse 
R.  Francis,  LaConner;  J.  Lewis  Smith,  D.  D.,  Tacoma;  Peter  Han- 
sen, Tacoma.  Two  years:  Rev.  L.  S.  Bowerman,  Seattle;  Rev.  S.  C. 
Ohrum,  Seattle;  Rev.  R.  S.  Greene,  Seattle;  Rev.  Louis  J.  Sawyer, 
Seattle;  Eric  Edw.  Rosling,  Tacoma;  R.  L  Morse,  New  Whatcom; 
F.  H.  Miller,  Centralia.  Three  years:  L.  L.  Hunter,  Shelton;  C.  E. 
Griffin,  Tacoma;  Mrs.  E.  F.  Dutcher,  Tacoma;  Corwin  S.  Shank. 
Seattle;  Mrs.  Robert  Moran,  Seattle;  B.  W.  Johns,  Olympia;  August 
Lovegren,  Preston. 


PART  II 
PUGET  SOUND  ASSOCIATION 


CHAPTER  I 

ORGANIZATION 
1871-1875 

The  field  covered.  Organization.  General  missionary  of  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society.  Subjects  discussed.  Population.  Olympia  Church.  A  notable 
captism.  Second  meeting.  Prominent  men  present.  Fellowship.  Resolutions.  Co- 
operation. Not  bigoted.  Women's  work,  1874.  Collections,  1875.  Important  action. 
Christian  education. 

This  Association,  which  for  so  many  years  practically  covered 
the  field  now  occupied  by  the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention,  and 
the  Baptist  Convention  of  British  Columbia,  a  field  next  in  impor- 
tance to  that  of  the  Atlantic  seaboard  at  the  beginning  of  the  last 
century,  was  organized  at  Olympia,  October  20,  1871.  The  following 
churches  were  represented  in  the  organization:  The  First  Church, 
Puyallup,  organized  in  1867,  by  Rev.  R.  Weston;  Elma  Baptist 
Church,  organized  in  1870,  by  Rev.  Joseph  Casto;  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  Seattle,  organized  in  December,  1868,  by  Rev.  R.  Weston; 
the  Baptist  church  of  Oysterville,  organized  in  1871,  by  S.  E.  Stearns 
and  Rev.  J.  Wichser.  Rev.  R.  Weston  was  chosen  moderator  of  the 
Association,  and  M.  E.  Traver,  clerk.  The  organization  was  effected 
under  the  title  of  the  "  Puget  Sound  Baptist  Association."  Rev.  E. 
Curtis,  of  Michigan,  who  was  at  that  time  general  missionary  of  the 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  for  Oregon  and  Washington 
Territory,  was  present  and  aided  in  the  organization.  The  usual 
Articles  of  Faith  were  adopted,  also  expressions  of  confidence  in 
the  various  departments  of  organized  work  of  the  denomination. 
The  Association  expressed  appreciation  of  the  appointment  by  the 
Home  Mission  Society  of  Rev.  E.  Curtis  as  general  missionary.  At 
this  time  Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns  was  missionary  at  Oysterville;  Rev. 
Joseph  Casto,  missionary  at  Elma ;  Rev.  R.  Weston,  at  Puyallup ;  and 
Rev.  Joseph  Freeman,  D.  D.,  once  president  of  the  Vermont  Conven- 
tion, at  Seattle.  The  churches  represented  report  a  membership  of 
eighty-eight. 

The  Territory  of  Washington  at  this  period  had  a  population  of 
about  twenty-five  thousand.  The  Association  covered  in  its  discus- 
sions the  subjects  of  Sunday-schools,  religious  literature,  Christian 
education,  and  temperance;  and  much  attention  was  given  to  the 
pressing  needs  of  the  large  and  important  territory  covered  by  the 
Association. 

On  the  Monday  following  the  meeting  of  the  Association,  some 

brethren  who  remained  formed  a  council  to  organize  and  recognize 

the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Olympia,  according  to  the  usual  methods 

n  113 


114       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

of  the  denomination.  Before  the  council  dispersed,  the  church 
received  a  candidate  for  baptism,  namely,  Hon.  R.  S.  Greene,  Associ- 
ate and  afterward  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Washington 
Territory.  This  was  a  day  of  great  encouragement  and  joy  among 
these  early  pioneers. 

The  second  annual  meeting  was  held  in  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  Seattle,  October,  1872.  In  this  meeting  nothing  of  special  inter- 
est occurred.  In  June,  1873,  the  Association  met  again  at  Olympia. 
This  meeting  was  a  phenomenal  gathering  of  Baptist  strength  for 
so  early  a  period.  There  were  present  from  Oregon  Rev.  Addison 
Jones,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  at  Salem,  capital  of 
Oregon;  Rev.  G.  C.  Chandler,  D.  D.,  for  seven  years  president  of 
Franklin  College,  Franklin,  Ind. ;  Prof.  Mark  Bailey,  president  of 
McMinnville  College ;  Dea.  J.  F.  Failing,  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  Portland,  founder  of  the  church,  and  also  of  the  public 
school  system  of  Portland;  Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns,  then  in  Oregon,  the 
great  colporter  and  organizer  of  churches  in  Oregon  and  Washing- 
ton Territory;  and  R.  R.  Lombard,  also  from  Oregon,  a  man  of  solid 
worth. 

These  men  of  God,  who  aided  largely  in  laying  the  foundation 
upon  which  Baptist  structures  are  still  rising  on  the  North  Pacific 
Coast,  were  met  and  cordially  welcomed  by  men  of  equal  strength 
belonging  to  the  Association.  Such  men  were  Rev.  Joseph  Casto, 
principal  mover  in  gathering  the  churches  together  and  organizing 
the  Association;  Rev.  Joseph  Freeman,  D.  D.,  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church,  Seattle,  who  was  elected  moderator  of  the  Associ- 
ation by  acclamation;  Rev.  R.  S.  Greene,  the  scholarly,  biblical 
exegete,  United  States  judge,  and  devoted  man  of  God,  who  carried 
his  religion  with  him  to  the  bench;  Rev.  R.  Weston,  the  pioneer 
preacher,  welcomed  and  gladly  heard  by  all  people;  W.  H.  Mitchell, 
who  kept  open  house  for  God's  ministers,  serving  the  Lord  at  the 
head  of  the  Mitchell  Wagon  and  Implement  Co.,  for  the  North  Pacific 
Coast;  Dea.  C.  Clymer,  so  long  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  Seattle,  four  times  the  representative  of  King 
County  in  the  Territorial  legislature,  and  others  their  co-laborers. 

This  meeting  was  also  phenomenal  in  showing  how  the  hearts 
of  Baptists  beat  in  loving  sympathy  for,  and  interest  in  each  other. 
All  the  visitors  made  a  journey  of  at  least  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles,  if  not  more,  to  reach  the  Association.  The  transportation  fa- 
cilities were  by  no  means  good  in  those  days.  They  came  by  steam- 
boat, stage,  private  conveyance,  on  foot,  and  partly  by  rail,  which, 
if  one  was  not  in  too  great  a  hurry,  was  a  slight  advance  over  the 
others  in  speed. 

The  questions  discussed  at  this  meeting,  the  resolutions  passed, 
the  recommendations  made,  the  spirit  which  prevailed,  all  showed 
these  workers  to  be  abreast  of  the  times  though  months  away,  by 
mail,  from  the  great  body  of  the  brethren  in  the  East,  as  we  who 


ORGANIZATION  II 5 

are   active   at   this   date   will   perceive   from   the   following   extracts 
from  their  minutes: 

On  foreign  missions,  they  say :  "  We  love  to  feel  that  we  are  one 
with  our  beloved  brethren  who  stand  at  the  helm  in  Boston  and 
with  all  who  put  their  money  into  this  great  work.  We  love  to 
know  that  we  are  with  the  missionary  and  the  convert  in  Africa,  in 
Asia,  and  in  Europe.  Our  hearts  are  full  of  the  glory  of  being 
the  '  light  of  the  world  '  to  all  the  world." 

On  home  missions,  they  say:  "Our  Home  Mission  Society,  with 
headquarters  in  New  York,  has  hitherto  been  able  to  aid  us  but 
little.  Yet  we  are  satisfied  that  we  have  their  prayers  and  their 
sympathy;  and,  according  to  their  judgment  of  their  ability,  we  shall 
yet  have  their  enlarged  liberality.  We  need  their  men  and  money. 
Our  field  is  ripe,  the  grain  needs  gathering,  we  have  not  the  men 
nor  the  means.  We  therefore  ask  our  brethren  to  aid  us  in  planting 
the  standard  of  a  true  Bible  church  on  the  Sound.  We  pledge  our- 
selves to  this  great  work,  our  heads,  our  hands,  our  bodies,  and 
above  all,  our  hearts." 

They  also  urge  Sunday-schools  to  sustain  teachers'  meetings  and 
normal  classes,  and  to  use  the  best  helps  published,  namely,  those 
of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society.  They  say  that  every 
genuine  Baptist  church  is  in  the  highest  Scripture  sense,  not  only 
a  benevolent  organization,  but  also  a  truly  Christian  temperance 
society.  They  commend  those  sisters  who  have  organized  the 
women's  missionary  work  and  recommend  a  similar  action  by  the 
sisters  of  all  their  churches.  They  regard  it  as  of  great  importance 
to  Baptists  that  they  build  up  and  sustain  one  good  Baptist  paper 
west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

On  co-operative  work,  they  resolve:  "That,  for  the  present, 
we  recommend  that  as  far  as  possible  the  brethren  composing  this 
Association  co-operate  with  the  Home  Mission  Society  through  the 
agency  of  the  general  Convention  of  Oregon  and  Washington  Terri- 
tory in  furtherance  of  such  enterprises  as  properly  fall  within  the 
sphere  of  that  organization."  The  Association  also  appointed  Breth- 
ren Casto,  Freeman,  and  Harper,  and  Sister  Casto,  as  delegates  to 
represent  it  in  the  Baptist  Convention  named.  They  were  neither 
bigoted  nor  discourteous.  In  answer  to  a  fraternal  letter  from  the 
Puget  Sound  Presbytery,  they  withdrew  their  Sabbath  afternoon  ap- 
pointment and  went  in  a  body  to  attend  the  dedication  services  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  in  Olympia.  They  report  five  churches, 
nine  baptisms,  fourteen  received  by  letter,  and  a  total  membership  of 
about  one  hundred.  Last,  and  not  least,  they  took  collections  for 
home  and  foreign  missions. 

In  July,  1874,  the  Association  met  with  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  Seattle.  The  representatives  from  abroad  were  Revs.  Addison 
Jones,  of  Salem,  Ore.;  J.  A.  Wirth,  of  Oregon  City,  Ore.,  and 
S.  E.  Stearns,  colporter  of  the  Publication  Society.     Fraternal  dele- 


Il6       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

gates  were  appointed  to  the  Oregon  Association,  and  also  to  the 
Oregon  Convention.  The  work  of  the  several  societies  was  con- 
sidered, and  collections  taken  for  home  and  foreign  missions  and  for 
the  Publication  Society.  Six  churches  were  represented,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  one  hundred  and  twelve.  The  Olympia  Church  reports 
sixteen  dollars  and  ten  cents  for  home  missions,  and  fifty-eight  dollars 
and  twenty-five  cents  for  foreign  missions. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Association,  held  at  Seattle  in  1875, 
the  following  very  important  action  indicating  the  purpose  and 
desire  of  these  early  workers  on  our  field,  was  taken  with  reference  to 
the  future.  They  voted  that  they  sever  their  connection  with  the 
Oregon  Convention,  and  that  a  convention  be  formed  within  the 
bounds  of  this  territory  to  collect  funds  on  the  field  and  to  solicit 
aid  from  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.  They  also 
recommend  the  appointment  of  an  associational  committee  to  secure 
proposals  for  a  site,  and  to  solict  funds  with  the  view  to  building  up, 
as  God  may  open  the  way,  a  Baptist  institution  of  learning  on  this 
field  with  the  understanding  that  this  committee  should  make  a 
report  at  the  next  associational  meeting.  They  also  made  provision 
for  a  centennial  historical  pamphlet.  All  this  was  done  when  the 
churches  of  the  Association  reported  but  one  hundred  and  twelve 
members. 


CHAPTER  II 

ENLARGEMENT 
1876-1878 

First  church  in  British  Columbia.  Plea  for  general  missionary,  1877.  Association 
meets  in  a  foreign  country.  Areas.  A  young  ccntinent  added.  Population.  Exec- 
utive Committee  at  work.  A  mission  boat.  Its  purpose.  Project  approved.  Legal 
difficulties.  Bill  before  Congress.  Delay.  Not  lesertion.  Committee  of  investigation. 
A  new  proposition.     Personal  ownership.     Alaska  mail.     Final  sale.     Exonerated. 

At  the  meeting  following,  which  was  held  at  Centerville  (now 
Centralia),  in  September,  1876,  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Victoria 
was  received  and  the  bounds  of  the  Association  enlarged,  changing 
its  name  to  that  of  the  Baptist  Association  of  Puget  Sound  and 
British  Columbia. 

Rev.  William  Carnes,  the  pastor,  represented  the  Victoria  First 
Baptist  Church,  which  had  been  organized  the  previous  March  with 
sixteen  members,  had  been  recognized  in  July,  and  was  now  erecting 
a  house  of  worship  at  a  cost  of  five  thousand  dollars.  The  Associ- 
ation recommended  the  churches  to  aid  the  Victoria  brethren  liber- 
ally in  their  efforts  to  build.  A  collection  of  one  hundred  and  two 
dollars  and  seventy-five  cents  was  taken  at  this  meeting  to  aid  the 
entertaining  church  in  completing  its  house  of  worship,  and  an 
effort  was  also  made  to  get  a  general  missionary  on  the  field.  The 
Executive  Committee  urged  the  coming  of  Rev.  T.  J.  Huff  to  do 
this  important  work,  but  without  avail. 

The  year  1877  was  an  eventful  year  for  the  Puget  Sound  Asso- 
ciation, for  the  meeting  was  held  in  a  foreign  country.  The  great 
hearts  of  the  brethren  of  the  Association  had  opened  the  year  before 
to  take  in  British  Columbia,  a  province  of  the  British  Empire,  as  a 
part  of  their  field.  There  seemed  to  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  scrip- 
turalness  of  this  expansion  in  the  minds  of  those  consecrated  workers. 
The  territory  previously  covered  by  this  Association  had  an  area  of 
twenty-five  thousand  square  miles,  with  an  available  waterfront  of 
seventeen  hundred  miles.  British  Columbia  had  three  hundred  and 
forty-one  thousand  three  hundred  and  five  square  miles,  making  an 
area  of  three  hundred  and  sixty-six  thousand  three  hundred  and 
five  square  miles.  Then  the  Association  pushed  onward  and  took  in 
Alaska,  increasing  its  area  to  a  small  continent.  Some  delegates 
insisted  that  the  latter  acquisition  should  be  called  "  The  North 
Star  Mission  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association,"  and  their  interest 
and  prayers  were  rewarded  in  after  years,  when  the  American 
Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  sent  Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth  and  wife  to  that 
field,    imder   appointment    recommended   by    Rev.    J.    C.    Baker,    the 

117 


Il8       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Superintendent  of  Missions  for  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  approved  by 
the  home  mission  Board  of  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the  North 
Pacific  Coast,  an  account  of  which  appears  in  the  body  of  this 
work. 

The  population  of  western  Washington  at  this  time  was  esti- 
mated at  thirty-five  thousand,  that  of  British  Columbia  at  this 
time  was  forty  thousand,  making  a  total  population  of  seventy-five 
thousand.  True,  the  population  was  not  scattered  over  all  this  ter- 
ritory; but  the  sparsely  settled  districts  ranged  from  Vancouver, 
Wash.,  on  the  southeast  to  Nanaimo,  B.  C,  on  the  northwest,  a 
distance  of  five  hundred  miles.  The  only  agency  for  cultivating  this 
immense  field  was  an  Executive  Committee  which  had  been  oper- 
ating for  two  years.  It  had  been  unable  during  that  period  to 
settle  a  general  missionary,  but  it  had  raised  and  held  on  call,  on 
the  plan  of  giving  five  cents  each  per  week  to  missions — forty-three 
dollars  and  ninety  cents — for  this  purpose.  There  were  at  this 
time  eight  ministers  on  the  field,  with  a  reported  membership  of 
two  hundred.  Nothing  daunted  by  this  immense  area,  notwith- 
standing their  small  ability  and  means  on  hand  to  cultivate  it,  some 
fruitful  minds  in  the  Association  proposed  the  scheme  of  building  a 
small  steamboat  to  be  used  for  the  Lord's  work  on  Puget  Sound  in 
carrying  the  gospel,  especially  to  places  which  could  not  be  reached 
by  the  ordinary  routes  of  travel,  such  as  logging  camps  and  other 
isolated  points  where  a  few  families  had  settled.  This  scheme  orig- 
inated in  the  consecrated  brain  of  Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow,  pastor  of  the 
Olympia  Church.  The  Association  approved  the  plan,  and  put  it 
into  the  hands  of  a  committee,  consisting  of  Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow, 
Judge  Roger  S.  Greene,  and  Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth.  This  committee 
issued  an  appeal  to  the  Baptist  brethren,  which  was  published  in 
the  Baptist  Beacon  of  December,  1877,  from  which  we  quote,  as 
giving  a  clear  statement  of  the  need  and  purpose  of  such  a  boat: 

FROM     PUGET     SOUND 

To  our  brethren  scattered  abroad — one  family,  having  one  Lord,  one  faith, 
one  baptism,  one  zvork,  one  Held,  one  rezvard,  greetings  in  our 
beloved: 

It  has  pleased  our  Lord  to  commit  to  us  his  servants  and  your  co- 
laborers,  this  his  desire  and  design,  for  transmission  to  you. 

Puget  Sound  embraces  a  system  of  waters  having  a  shore  line  alone, 
independent  of  its  many  islands,  of  more  than  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
miles.  Dotted  all  along  these  shores,  and  on  many  of  its  islands  (our 
territorial  State  prison  is  on  one  of  these),  and  in  many  places  utterly 
impracticable  by  land  conveyance,  are  camps,  cabins,  homes  of  settlers,  as 
well  as  hamlets  and  clusters  of  interior  dwellings,  that  must  be  reached  if 
we  are  true  to  the  one  commission  (Matt.  28:19).  And  this  necessity 
will  have  an  increasing  emphasis  as  the  years  bring  their  inevitable  and 
rapid  accessions  to  the  population.  What  is  true  of  Puget  Sound  is  also 
extensively  true  of  British  Columbia.  We  can  have  no  communication 
therewith  except  by  water.     Thousands  of  souls  can  be  reached  with  the 


ENLARGEMENT  II9 

gospel  at  a  trifling  expense  by  water  conveyance  of  our  own,  which  are 
quite  remote  from  the  regular  and  expensive  routes  of  water  travel,  and 
quite  impracticable  to  land  carriage. 

It  becomes  necessary,  therefore,  for  the  constant  and  increasing  uses 
of  our  home  missionary  work  that  we  (Baptists  of  the  North  Pacific) 
should  own  a  small  boat,  propelled  by  steam  (constant  calms  and  cur- 
rents preclude  sail  only),  say  thirty  feet  long,  capable  of  conveying  from 
ten  to  fifteen  persons,  but  readily  managed  by  one  or  two,  and  so  con- 
structed as  to  admit  of  navigating  all  the  available  inland  waters  named. 
Such  a  craft  could  l)e  built  at  a  comparatively  small  cost,  and  being  once 
equipped  would  involve  almost  no  subsequent  outlay.  We  would  thus 
have  for  work  of  our  pastors,  gospel  bands,  or  general  missionary  the 
readiest,  cheapest,  and  most  practicable  conveyance  for  years  to  come. 

We  do,  therefore,  appoint  our  Brethren  Ludlow,  Greene,  and  Wirth 
as  our  committee  to  present  this  matter  in  detail  to  the  churches  and 
brethren  at  large,  and  to  provide  the  same  at  the  earliest  practicable  date. 

Thus  beloved  brethren  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  and  Educational  So- 
ciety for  Oregon.  Washington,  Idaho,  and  British  Columbia,  upon  you, 
and  through  you  the  many  churches  you  represent  is  conferred  the  honor 
of  being  the  first  to  receive  our  communication.  Linked  so  closely  to- 
gether in  name  and  in  service  as  we  already  are,  by  at  once  the  spirit 
and  the  providence  of  God,  we  do  not  for  a  moment  doubt  that  you  will 
characterize  your  first  Board  meeting  by  such  response  and  action  as  the 
Lord  will  put  in  your  power.  Through  what  committee,  or  in  what 
manner  you  will  undertake  your  portion  of  this  responsibility,  we  leave 
wholly  to  your  Spirit-guided  judgment,  without  suggestion  of  any  kind 
from  us.  We  ought  to  have  at  least  $1,500,  but  may  have  to  do  with 
less,  and  whatever  of  surplus  the  Lord  may  send  will  be  wholly  devoted  to 
the  bona  fide  home  mission  work,  or  subject  to  your  order,  pro  rata. 

We  will  not  and  need  not  weary  you  with  our  communication.  You 
will  duly  notify  us  of  your  action,  and  whatever  further  of  detail  in  either 
plan  or  procedure  may  be  desirable  for  you  to  know  in  carrying  on  and 
out  the  work,  we  will  gladly  communicate  upon  request. 

In  closing,  we  thank  the  dear  Lord  for  using  you  (the  Baptist 
Beacon)  to  pen  and  print  the  stirring  appeal  in  connection  with  your  con- 
stitution, which  we  urge  you  to  reread  as  a  portion  of  this  communica- 
tion. 

Very  fraternally  with  you,  and  for  the  Lord  and  his  elect  mountain- 
straying  sheep,  " 

\our  fellow-laborers, 

J.  P.  Ludlow, 

R.   S.   Greene, 

J.   A.   WiRTH, 

Committee. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  this  project  had  before  been  presented  and 
approved  by  the  Missionary  Board  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  and 
Educational  Society.  Could  this  plan  have  been  carried  out  as  at 
first  projected,  it  would  doubtless  have  become  as  popular  as  the 
"  Gospel  Wagon  "  of  a  later  period,  and  as  great  a  blessing  as  its 
purpose  was  unique  and  comprehensive.  But  some  legal  difficulties 
arose  with  reference  to  the  construction  of  a  boat,  as  projected, 
to  carry  passengers  on  the  Puget  Sound  waters  under  the  law's  of  the 
United  States. 

In  1878  the  following  report  shows  the  status  of  this  enterprise: 


I20      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 
OUR    MISSIONARY    BOAT 

Dear  "  Beacon  " :  You  will  be  glad  to  know  that  our  blessed  Lord 
is  furthering  the  cause  of  his  own  planning  as  to  his  missionary  boat— our 
water  buggy,  if  you  will — by  the  use  of  the  secular  press.  The  wires 
have  brought  across  the  continent,  and  the  papers  have  printed  the  news, 
that  we  have  now  a  bill  in  the  Houses  of  Congress,  giving  us  certain 
necessary  exemptions  from  licenses,  customs,  entry,  etc.,  in  the  use  of  the 
little  steam  launch  we  propose.  In  publishing  this,  they  have  correctly 
copied  in  full  the  half-column  extract  from  our  associational  report,  on 
the  necessity  for  such  facilities.  The  bill  is  drawn,  however — which  they 
failed  to  notice — giving  to  any  associated  religious  body  a  similar  privilege 
for  similar  purpose,  and  to  a  similar  extent,  viz.,  but  one  such  boat  can 
be  used  at  one  time  by  any  one  body,  and  such  boat  not  over  fifteen  tons 
burden.  Expressions  come  to  us  from  unanticipated  sources  of  deep  inter- 
est in  the  work,  which  cheers  us  not  a  little,  and  adds  greatly  to  the  scope 
of  our  faith. 

In  much  prayer  we  are  seeking  to  get  all  so  definitely  arranged  that 
in  case  of  favorable  action  by  Congress  we  can  at  once  call  for  the  sub- 
scriptions and  go   forward   with  the  work. 


J.  P.  Ludlow, 


From  the  Baptist  Beacon  for  April,  1878: 


OUR  boat  and  field 

Dear  "  Beacon  " :  Let  none  of  our  brethren  imagine  that  delay  is 
desertion.  It  is  but  the  necessary  interim  between  the  sowing  and  the 
reaping.  Letters  from  Washington,  D.  C,  assure  us  that  our  bill  will  not 
be  allowed  to  be  ignored  by  the  committee  in  charge,  and  that  action 
thereon  may  soon  be  expected.  Letter  from  our  brother  secretary  of  the 
Home  Mission  Society  also  informs  us  of  negotiations  pending  with  a 
New  York  firm,  with  very  favorable  prospects  of  large  discount  on 
prices,  etc.,  so  that  at  any  time  our  brethren  may  be  called  upon  by  us 
to  respond  with  their  contributions.  We  thus  keep  the  matter  before 
them  that  there  may  be  no  delay  in  securing  what  is  needed  when  called 
for.  Until  we  can  state  the  amount  needed,  we  shall  make  no  appeal 
or  attempt  to  collect. 

We  anticipate  having  the  boat  at  work  before  the  close  of  the 
summer,  unless  delayed  in  collections.  Meanwhile  there  are  indications 
that  so  soon  as  the  boat  is  secured  there  are  one  or  more  of  the  Lord's 
servants,  well  qualified,  who  stand  ready  to  volunteer  their  continuous 
services  as  missionaries  on  the  boat  field.  In  such  case  the  bill  before 
Congress,  though  very  important,  will  not  be  imperatively  necessary,  and 
failing  now,  may  be  reached  at  a  subsequent  session. 

But  such  a  field !  Our  home,  foreign,  and  publication  societies  will 
find  at  once  a  widely  open  door  inviting  entrance  of  their  special  mission. 
No  church  or  local  field  within  the  bounds  of  any  of  our  Northwest 
Associations  can  compare  with  this  in  the  abundance,  variety,  importance, 
attractiveness,  need,  or  prospective  fruitage  of  this  field.  We  doubt  not 
our  societies  will  heartily  enter  them,  and  with  proper  presentation  co- 
operate in  the  building  and  equipment  of  our  boat.  Brethren,  keep  this 
matter  constantly  before  the  Lord  in  prayer. 

Olympia,  W.  T.,  March  23,   1878. 

The  following  report,  by  Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow,  gives  a  further  and 
clearer  statement  of  the  nature  and  purposes  of  this  conveyance  in 
missionary  work  on  the  waters  of  Puget  Sound. 


ENLARGEMENT  121 

Throughout  the  entire  field,  to  each  and  all  its  classes  of  human  need, 
and  wherever  the  curling  smoke  of  wildwood  camp  or  cabin  shall 
signal  us,  we  propose  to  go  bearing  the  free  and  precious  gospel  of  Jesus, 
and  by  voice  of  cheery  greeting,  or  of  printed  pages  and  picture,  by 
sermon  or  by  song,  by  the  lone  missionary  or  the  praying  band,  by 
ministration  to  the  spiritual,  physical,  or  social  needs  of  the  people,  and 
by  any  agency  or  agent  which  God  shall  give  us,  we  will  seek  to  gladden, 
educate,  and  save.  To  board  every  vessel,  to  hail  every  canoe,  to  visit 
every  camp,  to  reach  every  Chinaman,  and  ever  "  take  the  name  of 
Jesus  with  us,"  is  what  is  in  our  heart  to  do.  The  Master's  voice  has 
reached  at  once  our  head,  our  heart,  and  cur  pocket,  saying,  "  Go  ye  into 
the  highways,"  and  he  has  already  heard  our  reply,  "  Lord,  we  go,"  and 
as  the  Lord  shall  send  to  us  his  chosen  laborers,  a  Moody  and  Sankey. 
or  any  other  consecrated  worker,  with  song  or  service,  this  vehicle  of 
communication  is  ever  at  hand. 

That  this  was  not  considered  a  scheme  visionary  in  its  conception 
is  evident  from  the  fact  that  it  was  approved  by  the  Mission  Board 
of  the  Convention,  also  by  the  officials  of  the  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society  in  New  York. 

A  committee,  appointed  by  the  Association  for  the  purpose,  made 
the  following  report: 

The  committee  has  made  complete  investigations  and  find : 

1.  The  field  roster  and  method  are  better  adapted  to  their  purpose 
than  before  supposed,  the  former  including  a  shore  line  of  over  two 
thousand  five  hundred  miles,  and  upward  of  fifty  towns  and  villages, 
with  a  population  of  more  than  nine  thousand,  an  accessible  Indian  popu- 
lation of  twenty-five  thousand,  an  ebb  and  flow  of  thirty  thousand  sea- 
faring men  annually,  and  a  varying  Chinese  population  of  three  thousand 
five  hundred. 

2.  The  work  needs  the  continuous  services  of  four  missionaries,  and 
affords  a  channel  both  for  our  associational  work  and  for  the  work  of 
the  Home  Mission  Society,  the  Missionary  Union,  and  the  Publication 
Society. 

3.  The  boat  would  furnish  a  home  for  the  missionaries,  and  be  in  the 
highest  degree  suitable  for  the  entire  service. 

4.  The  expense  would  be  the  cost  of  the  boat,  say  two  thousand  dollars, 
an  additional  sum  for  equipment,  and  fifty  dollars  or  less  annual!} 
for  legal  dues. 

5.  The  Association,  as  such,  does  not  now  appear  to  be  in  a  situ- 
ation to  provide  funds  to  inaugurate  and  maintain  the  enterprise. 

6.  Should  the  committee  he  discharged,  overtures  are  likely  to  be 
made  which,  if  accepted  by  the  Association,  may  result  in  the  Association 
sharing  the  benefits  of  the  work  without  incurring  financial  liability. 

Pending  discussion,  the  following  proposition  vi'as  made  by  Rev. 
J.  P.  Ludlow  and  Judge  R.  S.  Greene,  "  to  build,  equip,  man,  and 
navigate  a  steam  launch  "  for  the  purpose  designed  by  the  Asso- 
ciation at  first,  and  "  to  hold  the  boat  at  all  times  subject  to  pur- 
chase by  the  Association  at  a  fair  valuation,  and  to  dispose  of  her 
to  no  other  party  without  first  giving  the  Association  the  opportunity 
to  buy  her."  This  proposition  was  accepted,  the  money  on  hand 
given  to  them,  and  the  two  brethren  recommended  to  the  denomi- 


122       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

nation  as  worthy  of  hearty  confidence  and  co-operation,  they  being 
"  recognized  as  the  servants  of  the  brethren  for  Jesus'  sake,  and 
counted  as  an  organ  of  the  Association  and  of  all  the  brethren,  and 
authorized  to  act  for  the  Association  in  this  sphere  of  service."  Out 
of  this  emerged  the  Evangel,  in  due  time,  as  the  property  of  Rev. 
J.  P.  Ludlow. 

Here  the  Association  ceases  to  have  any  official  connection  with 
the  boat,  and  no  further  denominational  action  in  regard  to  it  is 
recorded.     We  follow  it,  henceforth,  as  a  private  enterprise. 

When  Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow  was  fast  completing  his  mission  boat, 
he  thus  summarized  some  of  the  objects  aimed  at: 

"  I.  To  give  the  gospel  to  all  the  needy  and  perishing  on  this 
great  field  of  waters. 

"  2.  To  furnish  free  transportation  to  all  Christian  workers 
who  will  aid  in  any  department  of  this  great  work  to  and  from  their 
field  of  labor. 

"  3.  To  carry  a  tent  and  every  equipment  for  holding  meetings 
at  any  point  as  long  as  may  be  needed." 

The  boat,  when  completed,  was  expected  to  cost  about  ten 
thousand  dollars,  and  it  would  be  ready  to  launch  in  October.  He 
asked  brethren  to  take  a  share  in  the  enterprise,  if  so  moved  by  the 
Spirit,  upon  the  completion  of  his  boat. 

Brother  Ludlow  found  it  too  expensive  to  run  it  exclusively  for 
mission  work,  and  undertook  to  do  enough  business  to  cover  ex- 
penses. Among  other  business  he  secured  the  contract  to  carry  the 
Alaska  mail.  Finding  his  craft  too  small  to  meet  the  government 
requirements,  he  had  it  cut  and  lengthened.  After  much  opposition 
from  competing  lines,  he  was  finally  obliged  to  give  up  the  enter- 
prise and  sell  the  Evangel,  which  for  many  years  afterward  plied 
a  passenger  and  freight  traffic  on  tlie  waters  of  the  Sound.  So 
long  as  Brother  Ludlow  had  any  control  or  influence,  ministers  of  all 
denominations,  missionaries,  and  others,  were  transported  free  by  this 
boat  to  and  from  Puget  Sound  ports. 

That  Brothers  Ludlow  and  Greene  were  working  up  this  mission- 
boat  for  their  personal  profit,  as  some  thought,  is  not  at  all  to  be 
credited ;  that,  with  Judge  Greene's  knowledge  of  the  laws  of  naviga- 
tion, they  should  be  caught  in  the  meshes  of  legal  entanglements 
seems  strange;  that  they  should  expect  Congress  to  revise  or  suspend 
existing  laws  in  favor  01  the  enterprise  was  perhaps  presuming 
too  much ;  but  that  they  had  any  other  than  the  highest  and  most  un- 
selfish motives  is  not  for  a  moment  to  be  suspected.  The  failure 
is  to  be  attributed  to  the  same  cause  which  brought  disaster  to  our 
educational  work,  namely,  too  large  an  investment  in  the  plant  at 
the  beginning  of  operations.  Had  Brother  Ludlow  handled  the  boat 
from  the  first  as  a  personal  enterprise,  keeping  it  within  the  limit 
required  by  government  oversight,  and  manning  it  as  captain  and 
missionary,  as  it  seemed  to  many  of  us  that  the  Lord  was  directing, 


ENLARGEMENT  I23 

the  author  beheves  that  it  would  have  become  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful and  most  far-reaching  means  of  reaching  and  saving  the  lost 
in  the  Puget  Sound  country.  On  the  principle  of  natural  growth, 
a  smaller  beginning  might  have  come  to  maturity.  If  the  Lord  was 
not  disappointed  in  the  outcome  of  this  project,  some  of  his  dear 
children  were,  and  have  longingly  looked  forward  to  the  occupation 
of  this  large,  needy,  and  hopeful  field  on  the  shores  and  waters  of 
Puget  Sound.  What  golden  harvests  might  be  reaped  here  until  these 
lovely  harbors  and  bays  were  dotted  with  church  spires  pointing  the 
way  to  gospel  privileges  for  all! 


CHAPTER  III 

DISCOURAGEMENTS  AND  A  NEW  ERA 
I 879- I 882 

Statistics.  Discouraged.  Drift  toward  the  North  Pacific  Coast  Convention.  Dawn 
of  new  era.  Approve  Convention  operations.  Missionary  revival,  1882.  A  renaarkable 
year.  Strange  ordination.  Unavailing  protest.  Why?  How  it  was  received.  Eastern 
incident.     Enthusiastic  leadership. 

In  1879  there  were  reported  eight  churches,  one  hundred  and 
ninety- three  members,  and  eight  ministers.  In  1880  the  number 
had  increased  to  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  with  ten  ministers. 
But  there  seemed  to  be  at  that  time  a  feeling  of  discouragement  over 
the  general  aspect  of  associational  affairs  as  expressed  in  a  resolu- 
tion  passed,   namely : 

Resolved,  That,  inasmuch  as  all  the  previous  resolutions  and  sug- 
gestions of  this  body  have  been  systematically  ignored  by  the  churches,  we 
consider  it  inexpedient  to  tender  them  any  recommendations,  and  im- 
provident to  expend  money  for  printing  them.  The  Committee  on  State 
of  Religion  reports  the  churches  as  having  too  largely  "  Left  their  first 
love,"  "  Holding  the  Doctrine  of  Baalam,"  "  Suffering  Jezebel  to  teach  and 
seduce,  and  to  beget  children  of  heresy  among  us,  having  a  name  to  live 
but  really  dead ;  neither  cold  nor  hot." 

The  committee  further  stated  that  "  with  few  exceptions,  not  a 
dollar  has  been  paid  by  our  churches,  as  such,  for  either  the  home 
or  the  foreign  mission  society.  No  monthly  missionary  concert 
of  prayer  is  held  within  our  bounds.  No  missionary  periodicals, 
either  home  or  foreign,  are  taken,  save  by  occasional  individuals; 
and  aside  from  private  efforts,  nothing  is  raised  except  for  the 
exigencies  of  each  individual  church." 

There  seems  also  to  be  a  drift  toward  the  North  Pacific  Baptist 
Convention  as  a  hopeful  adjunct  to  do  the  home  mission  work;  and 
they  say :  "  The  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  and  the 
North  Pacific  Baptist  Convention  are  entitled  to  our  thanks  for  aid 
to  this  field." 

In  1 88 1,  at  the  annual  meeting  held  at  Centerville  (now  Cen- 
tralia),  over  two  hundred  members  were  reported,  and  the  meeting 
proved  to  be  the  dawn  of  a  new  era  for  the  Association  in  mission- 
ary work.  Rev.  A.  J.  Hunsaker,  the  genial  and  devoted  general 
missionary  of  the  Baptist  Convention  for  the  North  Pacific  Coast 
was  present,  and  from  his  overflowing  heart  and  lips  infused  new 
life  into  the  whole  body,  and  inspired  hope  for  the  future.  The 
Association  approved  the  plan  of  co-operation  between  the  Baptist 
Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  and  the  American  Baptist 
124 


DISCOURAGEMENTS    AND    A    NEW    ERA  1 25 

Home  Mission  Society;  and  recommended  the  churches  to  aid  in 
that  work  with  their  ofterings,  prayers,  and  influence;  and  at  the 
close  of  a  sermon  by  Rev.  A.  J.  Hunsaker,  a  collection  was  taken  for 
the  Convention,  amounting  to  one  hundred  and  thirty-four  dollars 
and  fifty  cents  in  cash  and  pledges.  The  Association  requested  the 
Missionary  Board  of  the  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  to 
send  its  general  missionary  to  labor  on  Puget  Sound  and  in  British 
Columbia  for  at  least  three  months  of  the  year,  which  was  after- 
ward granted  by  the  Convention  Board.  This  begins  a  new  era  of 
missionary  life  in  this  very  important  body;  new  methods  prevailed; 
home  missions,  foreign  missions,  women's  mission  work,  Sunday- 
schools,  and  every  department  of  work  took  on  new  life  and  energy. 
Indeed,  the  missionary  revival  was  sweeping  over  western  Washing- 
ton and  British  Columbia. 

The  year  1882  was  a  remarkable  year  for  the  Baptists  of  this 
Northwestern  coast.  The  membership  of  the  churches  began  a  more 
rapid  increase;  thirty-three  baptisms  were  reported,  and  the  mem- 
bership had  increased  to  two  hundred  and  seventy-three.  The 
women's  foreign  missionary  work,  which  has  been  one  of  the  most 
active  missionary  factors  among  the  large  churches  during  the 
period  of  this  discouragement,  took  on  new  life  also,  and  reports  one 
hundred  and  eighty-two  dollars  raised  for  its  work.  At  the  annual 
meeting,  held  in  Seattle,  a  collection  and  pledges  were  taken  for 
foreign  missions  amounting  to  ninety-one  dollars  and  fifty  cents,  also 
forty  dollars  and  ninety  cents  for  home  missions,  and  twenty  dollars 
and  forty-five  cents  for  McMinnville  College.  The  Home  Mission 
Committee  says  that  it  views  with  gratitude  the  increased  help 
afforded  the  field  through  the  co-operation  of  the  North  Pacific 
Coast  Convention  and  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society. 

This  meeting  of  the  Association  was  also  noteworthy  for  the 
action  of  the  delegates  attending  it  in  allowing  the  innovation  of 
ordaining  a  woman  to  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry.  The  record 
shows  that,  at  the  close  of  an  Association's  session,  some  members  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Seattle  called  a  council  to  act  upon  the 
proposed  ordination  of  Mrs.  A.  M.  Jones.  Rev.  R.  S.  Greene  was 
moderator,  and  H.  H.  Weston,  clerk.  Though  the  larger  portion  of 
the  ministers  present  were  of  the  opinion  that  it  was  an  unscriptural 
proceeding,  yet  their  protest  was  rendered  entirely  unavailing  by  a 
failure  to  vote  against  the  proceeding  at  the  proper  time,  and  the 
ordination  was  consummated. 

This  so-called  ordination  was  not  accepted  on  the  North  Pacific 
Coast,  except  among  a  very  small  per  cent  of  the  members  of  the 
churches.  The  author  does  not  recall  more  than  two  ministers  of 
prominence  who  sanctioned  it  as  scriptural,  and  neither  of  them 
as  a  pastor.  The  ordination  of  a  woman  to  the  work  of  the 
gospel  ministry  was  held  to  be  unscriptural.  This  was  the  prevalent 
opinion  on  the  entire  coast  among  our  Baptist  people.    The  same  was 


126       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

true  in  the  East  as  expressed  by  our  religious  journals.  It  affected 
the  confidence  of  our  Eastern  supporters  in  our  loyalty  to  the  tenets 
of  our  denomination,  causing  some  to  turn  a  cold  shoulder  upon 
our  mission  work,  as  the  following  incident  will  show.  In  1892  the 
author  was  present  in  a  largely  attended  prayer  meeting  in  Dr.  H.  C. 
Peeples'  church,  in  the  city  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  being  introduced  by 
a  friend  as  a  minister  from  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  He  arose  and 
presented  the  greetings  of  the  Baptists  from  that  far-away  field;  when 
the  pastor  said,  "  Oh,  we  have  heard  of  them  before.  They  are 
the  people  who  ordain  women  to  the  gospel  ministry,"  I  said,  "  Not 
so  bad  as  that."  My  friend  interposed,  stating  my  relation  to  the 
work  in  the  far  Northwest  for  many  years.  I  was  asked  to  give  them 
some  facts  about  our  country  and  work.  I  explained  about  the  or- 
dination of  the  woman,  disclaimed  it  as  a  denominational  act,  and 
that  it  was  not  accepted  as  valid  by  our  people.  This  was  apparently 
to  the  great  satisfaction  of  the  pastor  and  the  large  number  of  his 
people  present,  and  I  was  asked  to  go  on,  and  received  a  most 
hearty  reception  by  the  people  when  the  meeting  closed. 

Among  the  noted  visitors  attending  the  Association  in  1882, 
was  Rev.  E.  C.  Anderson,  D.  D.,  president  of  McMinnville  College, 
who,  by  invitation,  preached  the  educational  sermon.  A  vote  of 
thanks  was  tendered  him,  and  twenty  dollars  and  forty-five  cents 
was  contributed  to  the  college.  Rev.  B.  S.  MacLafferty,  Pacific 
Coast  secretary  for  foreign  missions,  was  also  present,  and  preached 
by  invitation  on  "  Foreign  Missions,"  taking  cash  and  pledges  for 
this  work  amounting  to  eighty-four  dollars.  Rev.  A.  J.  Hunsaker, 
general  missionary  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  Convention,  delivered 
the  address  on  "  Home  Missions,"  and  preached  at  the  dedication  of 
the  new  Scandinavian  church  in  North  Seattle. 


CHAPTER  IV 

A   NEW    POLICY 
1883-1884 

An  eventful  year.  Three  places  of  meeting.  Executive  Committee  given  power 
to  act.  Subscription  for  mission  work.  Six  hundred  dollars  for  independent  work. 
The  new  policy  adopted  by  the  Convention  and  accepted  by  the  Association.  Minutes 
of   1883  printed  in  1884.     No  commission  for  women  pastors. 

This  meeting  of  the  Association  was  held  in  various  places.  It 
began  in  Skagit  City,  June  15,  1883;  it  was  adjourned  to  the  steamer 
City  of  Quincy  on  its  way  from  Mount  A'ernon  to  Seattle,  opening  its 
session  on  board  at  4.30  p.  m.,  June  19,  and  adjourned,  again  to  meet 
at  Seattle  on  November  8  and  9  to  complete  its  work,  and  especially 
to  discuss  the  mission  work.  The  publication  of  the  minutes  was 
delayed,  and  they  were  finally  issued  with  a  supplement  bearing  the 
printer's  date  of  1884.  This  will  explain  the  fact  that  the  minutes 
contain  data  covering  several  months  after  the  annual  meeting  in 
June. 

The  meeting  of  1883  was  memorable  for  the  reception  of  five  new 
churches,  namely:  the  Seattle  Second  Church,  the  New  Hope  Church, 
the  Tacoma  First,  the  Seattle  First  Scandinavian,  and  the  Victoria 
Calvary  Church.  Two  of  these  grew  into  a  leading  place  in  our 
denominational  life.  Forty  delegates  were  enrolled.  The  report  on 
home  missions  says :  "  Our  churches  are  growing  stronger.  The 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  and  the  North  Pacific  Coast 
Convention  are  awaking  to  the  great  importance  of  this  field."  A 
committee  of  five  was  chosen  from  different  churches  of  the  Asso- 
ciation with  full  power  to  act,  either  in  co-operation  with  any  other 
body  or  independently,  at  its  option.  Revs.  B.  N.  L.  Davis,  Roger  S. 
Greene,  D.  J.  Pierce,  J.  A.  Wirth,  and  R.  Weston  were  selected  and 
ordered  to  make  a  full  report  at  an  adjourned  meeting,  to  be  held  in 
November,  on  Thursday,  before  the  second  Sunday,  for  the  special 
purpose  of  considering  our  home  mission  work. 

After  this  action  a  subscription  was  taken  for  home  mission 
work,  amounting  to  eight  hundred  and  eighty-one  dollars;  but  six 
hundred  of  this  was  conditioned  upon  allowing  the  Puget  Sound  As- 
sociation to  carry  on  its  work  independently  of  the  Convention  of 
the  North  Pacific  Coast. 

The  Convention  Board  having  refused  to  appoint  Mrs.  May  C. 
Jones  as  a  missionary  pastor,  it  was 

Resolved,  That  it  is  the  sense  of  this  Association  that  the  distribution 
of  home  mission  fimds  should  not  be  confined  to  men  who  act  a.s  home 
missionaries,  but  should  extend  to  women  also  who  are  engaged  in  mis- 
sionary work,  just  as  funds  for  foreign  missions  are  used  for  the 
maintenance  of  both  male  and  female  missionaries. 

127 


128       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

To  show  the  persistency  of  the  faction  in  the  Puget  Sound  As- 
sociation, which  wished  to  secure  "  independent  work,"  we  quote 
from  the  proceedings  of  the  Palouse  Association,  in  eastern  Washing- 
ton, July  5-8,  1883,  the  following: 

Saturday  morning  the  session  was  devoted  to  the  further  consider- 
ation of  home  missions.  A  semi-official  letter  to  the  Association  from 
Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  chairman  of  the  Home  Mission  Committee  of  the  Puget 
Sound  Association,  expressing  the  desire  of  most  of  the  churches  of  that 
Association  to  withdraw  from  the  Convention  and  pursue  an  independent 
work,  and  asking  for  like  action  on  the  part  of  this  Association  with  a 
view  to  organizing  a  "  Washington  Territory  Convention,"  was  presented. 
After  careful  consideration,  the  Association,  by  unanimous  vote,  ordered 
the  following  reply: 

"We  recommend,  with  reference  to  the  communication  from  the 
Executive  Board  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association,  that  their  proposition 
be  respectfully  declined  for  the  following  reasons : 

"  I.  We  are  unable  without  help  to  occupy  and  develop  our  field. 

"  2.  In  the  proposition  you  make,  there  is  no  intimation  of  aid,  either 
present  or  prospective,  from  you. 

"  3.  Our  present  development  is  principally  due  to  the  aid  received 
from  the  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast. 

"4.  This  body  stands  ready  to  continue  its  aid. 

"  5.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  our  withdrawal  would  greatly  embarrass 
the  body  to  which  we  are  so  greatly  indebted  for  our  present  prosperity, 
it  seems  to  us  highly  ungrateful  to  accede  to  your  request." 

In  January,  1883,  by  recommendation  of  the  Superintendent  of 
Missions,  the  Mission  Board  of  the  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific 
Coast  considered  favorably  the  division  of  the  Convention  field  into 
three  districts.  It  was  left  for  the  Superintendent  of  Missions  to 
formulate  a  plan.  This  plan  was  adopted  by  the  Mission  Board,  and 
was  finally  indorsed  by  the  Convention-  at  its  meeting  in  Brownsville. 
Meantime,  the  Superintendent  of  Missions,  anticipating  the  action 
of  the  Convention,  had  laid  the  plan  before  the  New  York  Board  for 
its  approval;  and  while  the  Convention  was  in  session,  the  approval 
asked  for  came  in  the  following  message :  "  We  approve  the  plan  for 
future  work.    Push  things.    H.  L.  Morehouse." 

Two  delegates  were  present  at  this  meeting  of  the  Convention  to 
represent  the  Executive  Committee  appointed  at  the  June  meeting 
held  in  Skagit  City.  These  delegates  reported  back  to  the  adjourned 
meeting  of  the  Association,  held  in  Seattle,  November  8  and  9,  the 
following  plan  as  adopted  by  the  Convention: 

PLAN    OF    FUTURE    WORK 

We  therefore  most  earnestly  ask  and  urge  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Societj-,  under  whose  generous  co-operation  we  have 
been  enabled  to  reach  such  results  in  the  past  three  years,  to  allow  the 
work  in  western  Washington  and  British  Columbia,  and  in  eastern 
Washington  and  western  Idaho,  to  be  put  under  a  separate  Board 
of  their  own  appointment,  which  shall  have  control  of  all  work  in  their 
respective  fields  under  supervision  of  your   Superintendent  of   Missions, 


A    NEW    POLICY  129 

Ihey  reporting  to  this  Convention  a  summary  of  their  work  until  such 
time  as  they  themselves  shall  deem  it  wise  to  organize  a  convention  or 
conventions  of  their  own. 

And  further,  that  we  most  earnestly  request  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society,  in  view  of  the  increased  and  increasing  demands 
upon  our  whole  field  for  additional  missionaries,  that  the  society  appropri- 
ate a  pro  rata  of  two  to  one  in  Oregon,  three  to  one  in  western  Washing- 
ton and  British  Columbia,  and  four  to  one  in  eastern  Washington  and 
western  Idaho,  believing  it  to  be  the  least  possible  sum  that  will  meet 
the  demands  of  this  great  Northwest ;  and  we  further  ask  that  one-half 
the  amount  you  charge  to  this  Convention  on  account  of  Superintendent 
of  Missions,  be  charged  to  Oregon,  and  one-fourth  to  each  of  the  other 
districts. 

The  Executive  Committee  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association  closes 
the  supplement  to  the  minutes  of  1883  by  calling  for  a  convention  to 
meet  at  the  close  of  their  next  annual  meeting: 

A    CONVENTION 

Is  called  by  the  Executive  Committee,  to  meet  at  Puyallup  on  Monday 
following  the  second  of  June,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.,  being  at  the  close  of  the 
Association,  and  all  churches  of  western  Washington  and  British  Columbia 
are  requested  to  send  delegates  to  the  Convention,  with  instructions  con- 
cerning the  character  of  the  Convention  designed.  The  associational  dele- 
gates can  act  in  this  capacity  if  so  instructed,  or  other  delegates  may  be 
elected  on  the  same  numerical  basis. 

CONSTITUTION    AND   BY-LAWS 

For  such  a  Convention  will  probably  be  drafted  and  adopted,  as  also 
for  an  educational  society,  to  look  after  our  academies  and  colleges. 

Brethren,  the  golden  day  of  this  Northwest  is  at  hand.  It  is  God's 
great   day   of   labor.  ^    j     p^^,^^^^   Chairman. 

At  this  time  the  number  of  members  in  the  churches  of  the 
Puget  Sound  Association  was  three  hundred  and  thirty-three. 

At  the  annual  meeting,  held  in  Puyallup  in  1884,  the  Executive 
Committee  reported  that,  as  soon  as  it  was  appointed,  it  telegraphed 
to  the  secretary  of  the  Home  Mission  Societj'  at  New  York,  asking 
the  privilege  of  co-operating  with  that  society  directly,  independently 
of  the  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  and  that  this  privilege 
w-as  refused. 

In  justice  to  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society',  its 
position  with  reference  to  associational  co-operation  should  be  fully 
stated.  Its  "  refusal "  to  co-operate  directly  with  the  Puget  Sound 
Association  was  primarily  based  upon  its  uniform  practice  in  other 
States,  which  was  to  have  no  organized  connection  with  an  Asso- 
ciation, except  as  it  was  represented  in  State  Associations  or 
Conventions.  The  necessity  for  such  action  will  be  apparent. 
Granted  to  one,  it  must  be  granted  to  others,  and  soon  the  income 
of  the  society  would  be  insufficient  to  run  its  machinery  and  clerical 
force.  A  long  list  of  refusals  had  gone  before  the  refusal  of  the 
I 


130      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Puget  Sound  Association,  and  no  change  of  local  associational  con- 
ditions would  have  changed  the  action  of  the  officials  in  New  York. 
In  August  a  meeting  of  the  committee  was  held,  in  which  it  laid 
plans  for  a  district  convention.  The  two  members  of  the  committee 
who  had  attended  the  meeting  of  the  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific 
Coast  in  October,  reported  back  the  new  plan  of  work.  This  was 
adopted  at  the  adjourned  meeting  of  the  Association  in  November, 
1883,  when  the  committee  says: 

Under  this  plan  all  the  benefits  of  entire  independence  of  action  were 
secured,  while  the  previous  successful  management  of  the  Convention  of 
the  North  Pacific  Coast  gave  us  additional  credit  in  the  East,  and  the 
general  harmony  of  the  Northwest  in  its  mission  work  was  preserved 
without  lessening  the  freedom  of  the  various  districts. 

The  committee  also  reported  a  year  of  successful  work.  Every 
department  was  prosperous;  the  number  of  members  in  the  Associ- 
ation had  increased  forty  per  cent;  twelve  churches  reported  they 
had  baptized  fifty-seven;  every  church  letter  was  written  in  a  hope- 
ful tone.  After  a  full  and  earnest  discussion,  the  Association  voted 
to  continue  the  mission  work  on  the  same  basis  as  the  previous  year. 
and  not  to  form  a  convention.  The  six  hundred  dollars  which  had 
been  pledged  in  the  event  of  securing  independent  work  had  been 
withdrawn,  and  the  uneasy  spirit  of  independent  work  was  laid 
aside,  at  least  for  that  meeting. 

Rev.  C.  F.  Tolman,  D.  D.,  Western  secretaiy  of  the  American 
Baptist  Missionary  Union,  brought  to  the  Association  the  fraternal 
greetings  of  the  brethren  in  the  East,  and  of  the  great  society  which 
he  represented.  His  presence  was  always  a  blessing  when  he 
visited  the  Northwest.  Especially  was  his  presence  appreciated  when 
he  spoke  on  "  Foreign  Missions  "  and  preached  a  sermon  on  Sunday 
evening  from  the  last  clause  of  Ezek.  47 : 9.  He  spoke  also  at  the 
women's  meeting,  stating  to  the  Puyallup  "  Band  of  Cheerful  Ones  " 
that  twenty-five  dollars  would  support  a  Telugu  boy  at  the  seminary 
for  one  year.  The  band  took  up  the  matter  and  paid  in  over  sixteen 
dollars  of  the  sum  at  once,  and  then  by  taking  a  collection  provided 
the  whole  amount.  In  all,  one  hundred  and  nine  dollars  and  fifteen 
cents  was  contributed  to  foreign  missions. 

Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  Superintendent  of  Missions,  preached  Sunday 
morning  from  Acts  i :  8,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  dollars  and 
seventy  cents  was  contributed  to  home  missions. 

The  Association  now  had  sixteen  churches,  with  four  hundred 
and  fifty-eight  members. 


Rev.  James  S.  Casto 


2  CHAPTER  V 

THE  PUGET  SOUND  ASSOCIATION  IN  1885 
1885-1888 

A  year  of  prosperity.  An  unjustifiable  act.  Caught  in  a  net.  A  strange  com- 
mittee. Preferring  charges.  Discovering  the  mistake.  The  church  restored.  Pros- 
perity in  1886.  General  associational  missionary.  The  pro  rata  continued.  Finances. 
Prosperity  in  1887.  A  church  reinstated.  First  parsonage  on  the  field.  British 
Columbia   strongly   entrenched.      First  brick  meeting-house. 

Ix  June,  1885,  when  its  annual  report  was  made,  the  Puget 
Sound  Association  was  prospering.  The  number  of  churches  had 
increased  to  twenty,  and  their  members  to  five  hundred  and  ninety- 
two.  The  new  plan  of  work  was  apparently  satisfactory,  and  the 
report  of  the  Executive  Committee  indicated  improvement  and  grati- 
fying results ;  but  a  very  unexpected  and  unjustifiable  action  was 
taken  by  the  Association,  refusing  representation  to  the  Tacoma  First 
Church,  although  it  was  represented  by  its  pastor  and  properly 
authenticated  delegates  with  a  letter  from  the  church.  This  refusal 
grew  out  of  some  cases  of  discipline  by  the  church,  in  which  the 
Association  had  no  right  to  interfere,  and  over  which  it  had  no 
control.  The  Association  was  caught  in  the  net  often  set  by  the 
adversary  to  entangle  Associations  in  the  meshes  of  usurped  au- 
thority. In  this  case,  after  refusing  the  church  its  rightful  place 
and  its  legal  standing  in  the  Association,  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  overshadow  the  acts  of  the  church,  and  to  prefer  charges  against 
it  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  Association.  When  this  meeting  was 
held  at  Victoria,  B.  C,  the  committee  reported,  as  instructed,  pre- 
ferring charges  against  the  church;  but,  by  this  time,  some  of  the 
leaders  had  apparently  discovered  their  mistake,  and  moved  the 
following  resolution:  "Resolved,  That  it  is  the  sense  of  this  As- 
sociation that  the  action  of  the  Association  at  the  last  associational 
meeting  in  excluding  the  delegation  from  the  Tacoma  Church  upon 
the  letter  tendered  by  that  church  was  an  inconsiderate  and  mistaken 
action,  and  that  the  delegation  should  have  been  received." 

A  detailed  account  of  this  misguided  action  will  be  found  in  the 
history  of  the  Tacoma  First  Church. 

At  the  meeting  in  Victoria,  in  June,  1886,  the  following  results 
appear  from  the  year's  work.  The  churches  of  the  Association  had 
increased  in  number  to  twenty-six,  and  their  members  to  eight  hun- 
dred and  twenty-six.  The  Association  had  employed  Rev.  A.  B. 
Banks  as  general  missionary  at  one  thousand  two  hundred  dollars  a 
year,  and  both  the  Executive  Committee  and  the  Superintendent  of 
Missions  spoke  highly  of  his  work.     It  was  kept  in  accord  with  that 


132       BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

of  the  Home  Mission  Society,  which  continued  the  former  pro  rata 
for  missionary  pastors.  The  Executive  Committee  reported  con- 
tinuing Revs.  Walter  Barss  at  Victoria  with  six  hundred  dollars;  R. 
Lennie  at  New  Westminster  with  seven  hundred  dollars ;  P.  H. 
Harper,  in  Clark  County,  with  four  hundred  dollars;  B.  S.  Mac- 
Lafferty,  at  Tacoma,  with  six  hundred  dollars;  K.  Nelson,  at  the 
Tacoma  Scandinavian  Church,  with  four  hundred  and  fifty  dollars; 
and  J.  Wichser,  at  Whatcom,  with  three  hundred  dollars,  making  a 
total  of  three  thousand  and  fifty  dollars  paid  from  New  York,  and  on 
which  the  Association  was  paying  its  pro  rata,  while  it  paid  the 
entire  salary  of  Brother  Banks.  The  treasurer's  report  showed 
one  thousand  four  hundred  and  ninety-seven  dollars  and  ninety-seven 
cents  collected  for  all  purposes,  of  which  one  thousand  and  twenty- 
nine  dollars  and  twenty  cents  had  been  paid  to  the  general  missionary, 
and  four  hundred  and  sixty-eight  dollars  and  seventy-seven  cents 
forwarded  to  the  Home  Mission  Society  as  pro  rata.  The  report 
showed  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  due  to  New  York,  and  one 
hundred  and  seventy  dollars  and  eighty  cents  due  to  the  general 
missionary,  this  includes  the  expenses  of  the  general  missionary.  One 
hundred  and  fifty-one  baptisms  were  reported  for  the  year.  All  the 
auxiliary  societies  had  a  careful  hearing  before  the  Association. 

In  1887,  at  the  time  of  the  annual  meeting  in  LaConner,  the 
number  of  churches  had  increased  to  thirty,  and  their  membership 
to  nine  hundred  and  forty-six,  with  eighty-one  baptisms.  The  Ta- 
coma First  Church  was  back  in  the  Association,  under  Rev.  B.  S.  Mac- 
Lafiferty  as  pastor,  and  he  was  moderator  of  the  Association.  The 
church  had  a  membership  of  sixty-four,  and  had  built  a  parsonage 
at  a  cost  of  one  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  Its  work 
was  all  thoroughly  organized,  and  its  prayer  meetings  were  attended 
by  nearly  every  available  member.  Peace  was  restored  in  the  Associ- 
ation, brotherly  love  prevailed,  and  the  Executive  Committee  was 
hopeful.  Foreign  missions,  education,  women's  work,  and  the  Pub- 
lication Society  all  received  due  attention  and  were  well  represented. 
The  British  Columbia  churches  were  becoming  strongly  entrenched; 
Brother  Lennie  had  dedicated  a  new  brick  meeting-house,  costing 
six  thousand  dollars;  the  First  Church  at  Vancouver,  B.  C,  had  been 
organized,  and  had  Rev.  J.  W.  Daniels  as  pastor;  the  Calvary 
Church  of  Victoria  was  growing  in  influence  and  usefulness  under 
Brother  Barss. 


CHAPTER  VI 

A  GLANCE  BOTH  WAYS 

1871-1888 

Eighteen  years  of  history.  An  important  period.  Great  obstacles  overcome.  Peril 
escaped.  Present  condition.  Northwestern  Association  formed.  Northwest  Conven- 
tion. The  history  of  the  Associations  merged  in  that  of  the  Convention.  Present 
policy.     Future. 

To  summarize  the  work  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association  for 
eighteen  years  will  but  feebly  and  partially  exhibit  its  value  and 
importance  in  laying  the  foundations  for  Christ's  kingdom  upon  this 
great  field.  Beginning  its  history  with  but  five  churches  and  eighty- 
eight  church-members,  it  had  planted  other  churches  until,  in  1888, 
it  numbered  thirty-two  churches  with  one  thousand  and  seven  mem- 
bers. Besides  these  thirty-two  active  churches,  many  of  them  strong 
and  influential,  twenty-three  other  churches  had  been  organized 
which  have  become  extinct.  It  is  estimated  that  there  were  one 
thousand  conversions,  and  that  four  hundred  have  been  baptized. 
Early  in  its  history  it  took  up  the  foreign  mission  work  as  auxiliary 
to  the  Missionary  Union  and  the  women's  foreign  mission  societies, 
the  work  of  organizing  Sunday-schools  and  distributing  Bibles  and 
religious  literature  as  auxiliary  to  the  Publication  Society,  the 
work  of  Christian  education  as  auxiliary  to  the  Education  Society, 
and  the  work  of  home  missions  and  State  missions  as  auxiliary  to 
the  Home  Mission  Society.  All  these  general  agencies  have  been 
fostered  and  aided  for  these  eighteen  years  by  the  Association. 

This  was  one  of  the  most  important  periods  of  development  too 
on  the  Pacific  Coast.  It  was  then  that  many  of  the  foundations  were 
laid  for  the  highest  and  best  development  of  citizenship  and  of 
Christian  character.  The  obstacles  to  be  overcome  were  not  those 
only  which  are  ordinarily  to  be  met  in  every  new  country ;  but 
the  cosmopolitan  character  of  the  population,  so  difficult  to  assimi- 
late, the  unprecedentedly  speculative  character  of  the  times,  both  in 
finance  and  religion,  every  "  ism "  and  criticism,  both  higher  and 
lower,  found  a  lodgment,  and  had  to  be  dealt  with,  in  this  enticing 
climate  and  country.  All  these  things  contributed  to  the  peril  of 
the  times.  Factions  could  not  be  avoided,  but  must  be  overcome ; 
and,  in  proportion  as  they  were  overcome,  they  left  the  Association 
in  a  higher  condition  of  unity,  hopefulness,  and  usefulness. 

The  Association  had  now  outgrown  itself,  and  became  unwieldy 
in  its  bulk.  It  was  now  time  for  it  to  share  its  territory  with  a 
sister  Association.  This  was  done  lovingly  and  harmoniously  by 
drawing  a  line  across  the  map,  so  that  in  Pierce  County  and  south 

^33 


134       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

of  it  the  Puget  Sound  Association  was  to  have  its  holdings  and  to 
do  business,  and  in  King  County  and  north  of  it  the  Northwestern 
Association  was  to  have  the  right  of  way,  thus  occupying  the  whole 
field. 

This  same  year,  1888,  was  memorable  for  the  Puget  Sound  As- 
sociation because  it  witnessed  the  birth  of  the  new  Northwest  Baptist 
Convention,  which  now  took  up  the  general  work  heretofore  carried 
on  by  the  Puget  Sound  Association,  covering  the  field  of  both 
Associations.  The  history  of  this  general  work  will  henceforth 
be  found  in  connection  with  the  history  of  this  Convention.  To  con- 
tinue the  history  of  the  Associations  would  lead  only  to  a  repetition 
of  the  facts  and  data  which  they  report  from  year  to  year  to  the 
Convention.  The  programs,  the  subjects  treated,  the  speakers,  and 
even  the  speeches  are  so  nearly  the  same  in  the  Associations  and  in 
the  Convention  that  the  author  will,  hereafter,  make  only  such  quo- 
tations from  the  associational  minutes,  and  such  references  to  them 
as  may  be  needed  for  a  full  and  continuous  record,  conforming  to  the 
present  method  of  associational  work.  What  the  future  policy  of  the 
Association  may  be  is  not  easy  to  forecast.  Since  it  was  bereft  of 
all  missionary  responsibility  by  turning  this  work  over  to  the  Con- 
vention, it  seems  only  natural  that  the  Association  should  be  looking- 
for  some  work,  distinctively  its  own,  to  occupy  its  attention,  such  as 
annual  meetings  for  evangelistic  efforts,  for  promoting  acquaintance 
and  fellowship,  for  discussing  methods  of  church  work  and  cardinal 
doctrines,  and  for  communicating  the  minor  details  of  helpfulness  to 
churches  and  fields  beyond  the  reach  of  the  Convention.  Surely  these 
things  would  provide  work  enough  to  occupy  the  attention  of  an  as- 
sociation of  churches;  and,  if  taken  up,  would  add  immensely  to 
the  unity  and  spiritual  power  of  the  churches,  and  would  be  helpful 
to  the  Convention  beyond  measure.  As  churches  having  no  dis- 
tinct work  to  do  soon  lose  their  vitality,  as  converts  having  no  in- 
dividual work  will  soon  become  dwarfed  and  stunted  in  their  growth, 
so  will  it  be  with  the  Associations.  Our  Convention  too  may  grow 
and  thrive  for  a  time  under  the  stimulus  of  a  large  pro  rata  of  cash 
from  New  York  to  supplement  all  that  it  can  raise  upon  the  field; 
but  it  will  never  know  its  own  ability  and  its  own  power  in  the 
service  of  the  King  until  it  takes  up  work  distinctively  its  own,  paid 
for  out  of  its  own  treasury  by  the  free-will  offerings  of  God's  people 
in  the  churches  on  its  field.  The  Puget  Sound  Association  held 
together  and  prospered,  in  spite  of  errors  and  factions  and  jealousies 
and  unchristian  ambitions,  because  it  had  large  interests  and  re- 
sponsibilities at  stake.  Bereft  of  these  responsibilities,  it  has  really 
no  mission  unless  it  creates  one.  It  may  continue  its  home  mission 
reports,  foreign  mission  reports,  educational  reports,  etc. ;  but  it  can- 
not vote  away  a  dollar  of  missionary  money,  or  authoritatively  direct 
in  the  appointment  of  a  single  missionary  or  official  controlling  the 
great  work  of  the  denomination.     It  had  better  go  out  and  look  up 


A   GLANCE   BOTH    WAYS  135 

some  work  of  its  own  for  the  Master.     There  is  plenty  of  it  un- 
touched. 

When  the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention  was  organized  in  1888, 
and  the  great  work  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association  passed  into  its 
hands,  it  rendered  all  due  honor  to  the  earnest,  consecrated,  and  self- 
sacrificing  workers  who  had  bestowed  upon  it  a  legacy  so  large  and  so 
well  kept. 


PART  HI 
CHURCHES  OF  THE  NORTHWEST 

(IN  THE  ORDER  OF  THEIR  ORGANIZATION) 


Rev.  Thomas  Harper  Mrs.  Thomas  Harper 

(Pioneer  Workers  in  Washington  Territory) 


Mound   Prairie   Baptist    Church 

This  was  known  also  as  the  New  Prospect  Church  (1859).  It 
was  the  first  Baptist  church  organized  in  Washington  Territory, 
and  was  located  on  Mound  Prairie,  about  fifteen  miles  south  and  east 
of  Olympia;  it  was  organized  October  25,  1859. 

Bro.  T.  J.  Harper,  a  Tennesseean,  came  from  an  old-school 
Baptist  family.  He  was  converted  at  the  age  of  nineteen.  Finding 
himself  a  missionary  Baptist  at  heart,  he  soon  became  affiliated  with 
that  body,  and  performed  much  valuable  service  for  the  Master  as  a 
lay  preacher  at  various  places  until  1853,  when  he  settled  on  Bush 
Prairie,  near  Olympia,  now  capital  of  the  State. 

He  was  now  thirty-seven  years  old,  and  had  been  a  lay  preacher 
for  eighteen  years.  He  found  some  Baptist  people  at  Mound 
Prairie,  where  he  held  services,  and  finally,  a  protracted  meeting 
resulting  in  several  converts,  among  them  his  eldest  son,  P.  J.  Harper. 
Having  no  one  to  baptize  the  converts,  he  sent  his  son  to  the  Corn- 
wallis  Association  in  the  Willamette  Valley,  Ore.,  a  distance  of  over 
two  hundred  miles,  for  help,  asking  that  a  minister  be  sent  to  them 
to  organize  a  church  and  ordain  a  pastor.  The  Rev.  R.  D.  Gray 
and  Dea.  John  Lloyd  were  appointed,  and  funds  provided  to  defray 
the  expense  of  the  trip.  On  the  way  they  spent  one  Sunday  at  the 
monthly  meeting  of  the  La  Creole  Baptist  Church,  and  were  much 
cheered  and  helped  by  this  devoted  band  of  brethren.  The  minutes 
of  the  Cornwallis  Association  for  i860  contains  their  report.  After 
referring  to  their  meeting  with  the  La  Creole  Baptist  Church,  the 
report  continues : 

After  several  dajs'  travel  north,  we  arrived  in  the  vicinity  of  Paget 
Sound.  The  brethren  at  this  place  received  us  like  brethren,  and  their 
religious  appearance  fully  met  our  expectations.  We  labored  with  them 
for  six  days.  During  that  time  we  constituted  a  church  with  six  members, 
baptized  five  into  their  fellowship,  and  ordained  Bro.  T.  J.  Harper  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry.  This  brother  is  calculated  to  do  much  good,  and 
has  a  good  report  of  all  who  know  him.  We  view  this  as  an  inviting  field 
for  Baptist  labor.  The  brethren  and  friends  contributed  means  for  our 
expenses,  and  prcssingly  requested  us  to  visit  them  ag.iin. 

Brother  Harper  calls  this  the  Mound  Prairie  Baptist  Church, 
and  just  how  it  later  became  known  as  the  New  Prospect  Church 
does  not  appear.  The  meeting  was  held  in  what  is  known  as  the 
Scatter  Creek  schoolhouse.  A  council  was  called  by  the  church. 
and  Brother  Harper  consented  to  be  ordained.  He  had,  heretofore, 
constantly  refused  to  take  this  step,  and  only  consented  now  because 

139 


I40      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

the  exigencies  of  the  Master's  work  demanded  it.  Following  his 
ordination,  he  was  chosen  pastor  of  the  church.  In  i860  the  church 
established  a  mission  a  few  miles  distant,  and  Brother  Harper 
preached  for  the  church  until  March  24,  1867.  In  1864  the  Indian 
War  broke  out,  and  for  two  years  very  few  congregations  came 
together,  the  settlers  being  under  the  necessity  of  defending  their  own 
homes.  This,  in  connection  with  the  discovery  of  mining  interests, 
caused  a  scattering  of  the  members;  and  the  church  disbanded  in 
March,  1867.  This  church  was  ultra  Landmark,  holding  strongly  that 
a  "  legal  administration  "  was  necessary  to  valid  baptism  and  admit- 
tance to  the  Lord's   Supper. 

II 

Salmon  Creek  Baptist  Church   (1863) 

This  church  was  later  known  as  the  Brush  Prairie  Church.  It 
was  located  nine  miles  east  of  Vancouver,  in  Clark  County,  Wash- 
ington, and  was  composed  largely  of  members  of  the  Avery's  Butte 
Baptist  Church,  near  Brownsville  in  Oregon.  It  was  organized  with 
six  members  on  August  i,  1863,  by  the  Rev.  Alvin  Clark  and  the 
Rev.  J.  J.  Clark,  two  brothers,  who  both  preached  for  it,  and  were 
long  prominent  in  that  county  as  citizens  as  well  as  religiously.  One 
of  them,  J.  J.  Clark,  represented  the  county  in  the  territorial  legis- 
lature. This  church  was  subject  to  vicissitudes,  at  one  time  adopting 
"  feetwashing "  as  an  ordinance.  At  another  time  it  changed  its 
name  to  the  Brush  Prairie  Baptist  Church,  later  resuming  the  name 
of  Salmon  Creek,  until  in  1890  it  took  the  name  of  the  Brush  Prairie 
Church  again,  by  which  it  is  still  knowi>.  The  church  aflEiliated  with 
the  Willamette  Association.  Notwithstanding  these  vicissitudes,  it  is 
the  oldest  Baptist  church  existing  in  the  State;  and  it  is  still  min- 
istered to  by  the  Rev.  J.  J.  Clark,  though  his  pastorate  was  not 
continuous,  Feetwashing  was  abandoned  in  1881.  In  1865  the  church 
organized  a  Sunday-school,  which  has  had  a  continuous  existence, 
being  only  suspended  for  three  months  in  some  years  during  the 
almost  impassable  state  of  the  roads,  so  that  it  ranks  as  the  oldest 
Baptist  Sunday-school  in  the  State  of  Washington. 

Ill 

The  Puyallup  Baptist  Church  (1867) 

The  church  is  located  in  Pierce  County,  nine  miles  east  of 
Tacoma,  and  was  organized  by  the  Rev.  Rodolphus  Weston  with 
twelve  members,  November  16,  1867.  This  devoted  minister  came 
to  the  work  here  from  West  Union,  Ore.,  settling  near  what  is  now 
Steilacoom.  Though  a  graduate  of  Hamilton,  he  had  a  trade,  like 
Paul,   and   worked   at   blacksmithing  to   support   his   family.      Soon 


Rev.  J.  Wichser 


Mrs    J.  Wichser 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  I4I 

after  arriving  on  the  Sound,  the  Lord  called  for  his  youngest 
child  to  come  up  higher.  At  the  funeral  he  found  many  pioneers 
manifesting  friendship  and  sympathy,  and  showing  a  fellow-feeling 
which  the  Lord  used  to  give  him  access  to  the  hearts  of  the  people  by 
introducing  him  to  the  pioneers  over  a  large  section  of  country. 
Those  present  at  the  funeral  carried  the  news  to  others,  and  these 
repeated  it  again  until  he  was  widely  known.  He  was  a  devoted 
and  cultured  minister,  simple  in  his  habits,  ever  listened  to  gladly, 
and  esteemed  by  all  classes  as  a  true  man  of  God.  At  the  funeral 
he  made  an  appointment  to  preach  on  the  next  Sunday,  and  was  heard 
with  joy.  One  brother  told  him  that  it  was  the  first  Baptist  sermon 
he  had  heard  for  fourteen  years.  Fifteen  miles  from  his  home  was 
Puyallup,  where  he  established  a  regular  preaching  station ;  and  in 
1867  a  brother  presented  himself,  told  what  the  Lord  had  done  for 
his  soul,  and  desired  baptism.  Brother  Weston's  membership  was 
in  Portland,  and  he  knew  of  no  Baptist  church  organization  on  the 
Sound.  He  baptized  the  brother  and  gave  him  a  letter  certifying  to 
his  baptism.  This  brother  was  Dea.  L.  J.  Holgate,  uncle  to  the 
Han  ford  boys,  and  long  a  man  of  parts  and  influence  in  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  Seattle,  and  in  denominational  work  on  the  Sound. 
In  October,  1867,  he  was  able  to  report  a  "glorious  meeting"  at 
Puyallup,  "  backsliders  reclaimed,  sinners  converted,  everybody 
happy."  November  16,  1867,  was  a  great  and  blessed  day,  the  natal 
day  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Puyallup,  the  first  church  on  Puget 
Sound  to  maintain  a  continued  existence  under  the  same  name. 

This  foundation  work  of  these  godly  men  was  sometimes  not 
v.'ithout  its  ludicrous  side.  Brother  Weston  relates  the  following 
incident.  A  Methodist  minister  came  into  this  section,  and  finding 
some  Methodists,  as  many  Baptists,  and  some  of  other  denominations, 
he  persuaded  all  to  go  into  a  union  organization  until  each  de- 
nomination could  organize  a  church  of  its  own.  To  show  his 
special  regard  for  Brother  Weston,  he  designated  him  to  bring  a 
bowl  of  water  for  him  to  baptize  a  brother.  Brother  Weston  ob- 
jected on  the  ground  that  he  could  not  handle  a  bowl  large  enough 
to  hold  the  brother,  but  would  gladly  serve  him  by  hunting  up  a 
place  where  there  was  water  enough  to  baptize  him. 

The  Puyallup  Church,  like  other  early  churches,  had  its  vicissi- 
tudes. After  a  blessed  history,  and  constant  associational  representa- 
tion for  several  years,  the  church  declined,  from  removal  and  other 
causes,  until  in  1877,  though  several  families  remained,  it  seemed 
without  a  working  force.  New  impetus  was  given  to  the  place  when 
the  railroad  came ;  immigration  set  in ;  the  town  took  on  new  life 
and  growth :  the  Baptists  rallied  under  the  visits  and  advice  of  the 
Rev.  P.  H.  Harper,  the  Rev.  William  Carnes,  and  Dea.  L.  J. 
Holgate :  and  the  church  was  reorganized,  with  six  members,  at  the 
house  of  Bro.  P.  A.  Taylor,  by  the  Rev.  R.  Weston.  The  Rev.  J. 
Wichscr  was  called  to  the  pastorate,  and  a  house  of  worship  was  built. 


142       BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Then  the  resourcefulness  of  a  devoted  pastor  was  again  brought  into 
service.  Through  his  efforts  work  was  subscribed,  lumber  was 
given.  The  church  at  Olympia  furnished  the  windows  and  other 
material  help.  The  Presbyterian  pastor  at  Olympia  gave  the  pro- 
ceeds of  a  lecture,  $16.55,  ^"^  his  church  added  $4.25  by  a  collection. 
Brother  Wichser  had  taken  up  three  outstations,  where  he  preached 
regularly.  He  usually  reached  them  on  foot,  accompanied  by  his 
wife,  and  always  carried  a  basket  in  which  he  brought  back  to  market 
eggs,  butter,  meat,  or  anything  the  people  could  spare,  and  turned 
them  into  money  for  his  church.  Finally,  the  author,  then  president 
and  secretary  of  the  Board  of  Missions,  obtained  from  the  Home 
Mission  Society  a  gift  of  $125,  and  the  house  was  completed. 
The  struggle  was  great,  but  by  keeping  at  it  the  church  was  dedicated 
in  answer  to  the  prayer  of  faith.  Since  this  time  the  church  has 
had  a  steady  growth,  rebuilding  once,  moving,  and  building  anew 
again,  and  is  now  one  of  the  strong  churches  on  the  Sound. 

IV 

Seattle  First  Church  (1869) 

This  mother  of  churches  is  located  on  Fourth  Street,  between 
James  and  Cherry.  It  was  organized  on  December  21,  1869,  by  the 
Rev.  Rodolphus  Weston,  with  eleven  members.  They  were  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Holgate  and  her  son,  Lemuel  J.  Holgate;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  E. 
Hanford,  and  four  members  of  their  family;  W.  L.  Rogers,  and 
Christian  Clymer  and  his  wife.  The  organization  took  place  at 
the  residence  of  Dea.  E.  Hanford.  Around  the  constituent  mem- 
bers sacred  memories  and  valued  reminiscences  cluster. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Holgate  was  born  in  Milford,  Conn.,  in  1796. 
She  was  converted  and  baptized  in  181 6.  She  crossed  the  plains,  a 
widow  in  1853,  to  Oregon;  and  in  1854  she  came  to  Seattle.  She 
was  the  first  Baptist  woman  on  Puget  Sound,  and  saw  no  other 
Baptist  woman  for  several  years.  Her  life  was  wrought  into  the 
First  Church  of  Seattle,  where  she  still  lives  in  memory,  and  into 
the  lives  of  children  and  grandchildren,  who  ascribe  their  hope  in 
Christ  largely  to  her  faith  and  Christian  life.  She  died  in  Seattle, 
January  22,  1880.     (See  sketch.) 

Her  son,  Lemuel  J.  Holgate,  whose  brother  John  made  the  first 
white  settlement  near  Seattle,  in  185 1,  was  baptized  by  the  Rev.  R. 
Weston  in  White  River,  in  July,  1867.  He  went  to  Puyallup;  and 
standing  up  in  the  meeting  as  a  stranger,  he  related  his  marvelous 
experience,  and  asked  for  baptism  if  thought  a  fit  candidate,  but 
wished  to  be  baptized  in  the  presence  of  neighbors  who  had  known 
his  previous  life.  This  man's  conversion  and  baptism  aroused  an 
interest  and  enthusiasm  among  the  scattered  Baptists  on  Puget 
Sound  that  would,  if  described  in  the  dialect  of  to-day,  be  called 
"  sensational." 


Rev.  R.  Weston 


CHURCHES   OF   THE   NORTHWEST  1 43 

The  Rev.  R.  Weston,  under  whose  ministry  the  first  Seattle 
church  was  organized,  was  a  member  of  the  Portland  Church,  and 
was  sent  to  Puget  Sound  by  the  Rev.  S.  CorneHus,  his  pastor,  who 
obtained  for  Brother  Weston  a  commission  from  the  Home  Mission 
Society,  which  he  finally  declined. 

Bro.  W.  L.  Rogers  was  chosen  the  first  deacon;  and  trustees 
were   elected. 

The  church  was  supplied  with  preaching  for  nearly  two  and  a 
half  years  by  the  Rev.  R.  Weston,  occasionally  aided  by  the  Rev. 
S.  E.  Stearns  and  the  Rev.  Joseph  Casto.  In  1870  the  church  applied 
for  help  from  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  but  it 
was  not  granted.  A  lot  then  worth  $150  was  donated  by  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Holgate  as  a  site  for  a  house  of  worship.  A  modest 
structure  was  planned,  and  in  1871  the  church  began  building  on 
Fourth  Avenue,  between  James  and  Cherry  Streets.  Upon  the  advice 
of  the  Rev.  E.  Curtiss,  who  was  then  general  missionary  of  the  Home 
Mission  Society  for  the  territory,  the  plans  were  enlarged  in  the 
expectation  of  obtaining  $1,000  from  the  society,  if  the  church 
would  raise  $1,500,  which  it  did.  The  house  was  dedicated  August 
25,  1872,  the  Rev.  E.  Curtiss  officiating;  but  the  church  was  left  with 
a  debt  of  $1,295,  on  which  it  had  to  pay  eighteen  per  cent  interest. 
Failing  to  obtain  the  $1,000  from  the  society,  this  debt  became  a 
grievous  burden,  borne  for  nearly  ten  years.  At  one  time  it  threat- 
ened the  existence  of  the  church,  which  was  saved  only  by  the  de- 
votion and  sacrifice  of  its  members.  At  another  time  a  judgment 
came  near  leaving  the  church  without  a  home,  when  Dea.  L.  J. 
Holgate  came  to  the  rescue  with  his  special  gifts  and  undaunted 
efforts. 

In  November,  1875,  a  wind-storm  injured  the  building  to  such 
an  extent  that  another  debt  had  to  be  contracted  for  repairs.  Fol- 
lowing this,  some  of  the  largest  givers  failed  in  business,  some 
moved  away,  and  Deacon  Clymer,  one  of  the  strong  men  of  that 
period,  died.  Such  was  the  financial  pressure  that  the  pastor,  the 
Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth,  gave  up  his  stipulated  salary  for  a  time,  and  served 
the  church  for  the  morning  plate-collections.  The  mortgage  was 
foreclosed,  and  one  brother  at  least  nearly  went  bankrupt  to  save 
the  property;  but  the  struggle  continued  until,  in  1882,  $700  was 
loaned  to  the  church  by  the  Home  Mission  Society,  and  later  a  strip 
twelve  feet  wide  was  sold  from  the  church  lot  to  aid  in  paying  the 
debt.  Prayers,  tears,  faith,  and  sacrifices  untold  marked  this  dark 
period;  and  yet  there  was  always  a  silver  lining  to  the  cloud,  and 
rays  of  divine  sunlight  were  beaming  upon  these  devoted  men  and 
women  of  God.  To  grasp  them  by  the  hand  and  look  into  their 
shining  faces,  to  hear  them  tell  how  God  had  blessed  them,  and  how 
they  were  looking  for  a  bright  and  glorious  future  for  the  church, 
was  both  inspiring  and  helpful,  as  the  author  can  testify,  to  all  the 
servants  of  God  who  met  them  in  their  church  home.    Nor  were  thev 


144      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

without  plain  indications  of  the  Master's  approval  and  help,  as  the 
following  incident  among  others  will  show : 

A  brother  desired  to  pledge  $150  to  the  church,  but  his  income 
.was  barely  sufficient  to  support  his  family  with  the  strictest  economy. 
He  had  a  strawberry  bed,  which  ordinarily  yielded  them  enough 
berries  for  family  use  and  a  few  quarts  to  sell  for  pin-money. 
After  much  prayer,  it  was  finally  decided  to  give  the  entire  proceeds 
of  the  bed  over  to  the  Lord  and  to  deny  the  family  its  use  for  the 
year.  Enough  berries  were  sold  from  the  bed  to  pay  the  $150,  and 
the  marvel  of  it  was  that  it  was  the  only  bed  of  strawberries  for 
several  miles  around  not  seriously  injured  by  the  frosts  of  that  year. 

Among  the  pastorates  not  already  named  is  that  of  the  Rev. 
Joseph  Freeman,  D.  D.,  of  Vermont,  a  student  of  Newton  Theological 
Seminary,  and  a  strong  and  faithful  worker,  who  served  the  church, 
however,  for  only  a  part  of  one  year.  The  church  was  supplied  with 
preaching  by  the  brethren  formerly  mentioned  and  others  until  1874, 
when  the  Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth,  of  Oregon  City,  Ore.,  was  called  to  the 
pastorate.  He  began  his  work  in  January,  1875,  when  the  member- 
ship had  increased  to  forty-nine.  He  served  the  church  for  nearly 
nine  years,  and  it  was  largely  through  his  godly  living  and  faithful 
teaching,  his  vmselfish  devotion  and  personal  sacrifices,  his  hopeful 
spirit  and  trust  in  God,  that  the  church  Avas  tided  over  the  rough  and 
shallow  places  in  its  early  history.  He  too  laid  the  foundation  for  the 
future  growth  of  the  church.  In  his  pastorate  the  membership  in- 
creased from  forty-nine  to  one  hundred  and  twenty,  fifty-one  of 
whom  he  baptized.  Improvements  in  the  church  property  were  made 
at  a  cost  of  $600.  In  1878  the  Puget  Sound  Association  met  at 
Seattle,  and  the  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  pastor  at  Portland,  Ore.,  being 
present  by  request,  made  an  appeal  to  wipe  out  the  debt  of  the 
Seattle  Church,  resulting  in  the  raising  of  $1,611.  The  way  had  been 
prepared  for  this  by  a  special  offering  from  Portland,  and  a  gener- 
ous gift  from  Mr.  J.  H.  Coleman,  of  Seattle.  The  burden  vanished, 
and  the  glory-song  burst  forth,  joyously  praising  God  from  whom  all 
blessings  flow;  and  a  new  spirit  and  a  larger  purpoae  passed  into 
the  church. 

A  Sunday-school  was  early  organized,  and  has  always  been  a 
vigorous  adjunct  to  the  work  of  the  church.  In  1875,  when  the 
author  first  visited  the  church,  an  active  and  enthusiastic  school, 
numbering  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  members,  was  in  progress 
with  Robert  Knipe  as  superintendent,  supported  by  a  devoted  band  of 
teachers.  Under  Robert  Knipe's  leadership  the  school  took  a  promi- 
nent part  in  the  advance  movement,  inaugurated  that  year,  in  the 
Baptist  Sunday-school  work  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast. 

In  1877  a  woman's  foreign  mission  circle  was  organized  by  Mrs. 
J.  C.  Baker,  who  had  been  sent  to  the  North  Coast  by  the  Women's 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  California  to  aid  the  sisters  on  this 
new  field  in  taking  up  their  work  in  the  various  churches.    Mrs.  A. 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  I45 

J.  Hanford  was  made  president.  The  scope  of  the  circle  was  after- 
ward enlarged  so  as  to  cover  both  foreign  missions  and  home 
missions,  and  the  circle  has  contributed  much  to  the  cultivation  of 
the  missionary  spirit  in  the  church. 

In  April,  1882,  the  church  licensed  Mrs.  May  C.  Jones  to 
preach,  and  in  July,  while  the  session  of  the  Puget  Sound  Associ- 
ation was  being  held  with  the  Seattle  Church,  a  few  members  of  the 
church  were  gathered  together,  not  by  appointment  of  the  church, 
who  called  a  council  to  ordain  Mrs.  Jones  to  the  ministry.  Judge 
R.  S.  Greene  acted  as  chairman,  and  H.  H.  Weston  as  clerk,  and  the 
ordination  was  proceeded  with,  although  the  whole  affair  was 
without  denominational  precedent.  The  pastor  was  absent,  and 
Mrs.  Jones  was  supplying  the  church.  In  October,  of  the  same  year, 
several  members  were  dismissed  to  organize  the  Second  Baptist 
Church,  notably  those  who  laid  emphasis  upon  the  second  coming  of 
Christ,  and  those  who  supported  the  ordination  of  Mrs.  Jones. 
They  were  led  by  Judge  R.  S.  Greene  and  by  the  Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow, 
who  still  held  their  membership  in  the  Olympia  Church. 

In  January,  1883,  Pastor  J.  A.  Wirth  resigned,  and  in  April  the 
Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  of  Walla  Walla,  formerly  of  Portland,  Ore.,  suc- 
ceeded him.  He  was  as  dift'erent  from  Brother  Wirth  as  the 
times  and  the  coming  "  boom  "  could  demand.  Brother  Wirth  was 
a  conservative  man,  who  waited  to  mature  and  then  work  out  a  plan. 
Brother  Pierce  wrought  out  a  plan  in  his  mind,  and  then  sprung 
it  upon  the  church  or  the  denomination  for  consideration  with  the 
rush  of  a  tempest,  and  sometimes  with  the  results  of  one;  and  yet 
many  of  his  plans  were  feasible  and  far-reaching. 

The  following  is  a  summary  of  Brother  Pierce's  pastorate  in 
Seattle,  collated  first  from  the  author's  own  knowledge  from  "  Mat- 
toon's  Annals,"  and  from  Brother  Pierce's  personal  memoirs : 

"  The  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  was  a  graduate  of  New  Hampton  Insti- 
tute, and  of  Newton  Theological  Seminary.  He  was  introduced  into 
Christian  service  as  a  teacher  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Lorimer,  and  into 
mission  work  when  the  Home  Mission  Society  sent  him  to  Wyoming 
with  what  was  practically  a  carte  blanche  commission,  since  he  had 
Laramie  as  a  center  of  operations,  and  not  another  Baptist  church 
within  three  hundred  miles  east  and  seven  hundred  miles  west.  He 
became  pastor  at  Portland,  Ore.,  and  then  went  back  to  Laramie, 
thence  to  Walla  Walla,  and  thence  to  Seattle.  He  was  a  general 
missionary  by  self-appointment.  No  one  church  or  field  could  hold 
him.  His  location  he  considered  as  the  center  of  a  great  mission 
field  for  the  occupation  of  which  he  held  himself  personally  respon- 
sible. He  was  regarded  by  his  brethren  as  visionary,  and  his  influ- 
ence was  limited.  No  church,  Association,  Convention,  or  educational 
society  could  keep  pace  with  his  planning,  and  yet  few  men  brought 
to  pass  more  than  he." 

Brother   Pierce   rightly   calls   the    First   Church   of   Seattle   the 

K 


146       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

"  Mother  of  Churches,"  and  says :  "  The  First  Church  of  Seattle, 
both  by  its  position  and  by  its  early  training,  is  fitted  to  be  the 
mother  of  churches.  It  was  a  throbbing  center,  where  most  of  the 
immigrants  of  the  sixties  and  seventies  landed,  where  they  left  their 
letters  and  scattered  to  places  where  no  Baptist  church  had  yet  been 
planted.  Much  of  the  material  of  the  White  River  Church,  of  the 
Kent,  Fairhaven,  Snohomish,  Port  Townsend,  and  Victoria  churches, 
was  first  gathered  at  Seattle."  When  he  entered  upon  his  pastorate 
he  "  found  one  hundred  and  fourteen  members,  of  whom  forty-nine 
were  non-resident."  "  Three  young  men  and  six  young  women  con- 
stituted the  entire  force  of  young  people,"  while  many  of  the  mem- 
bers were  at  Seabeck,  Snohomish,  Kirkland,  Newcastle,  Black 
Diamond,  Port  Townsend,  and  other  points.  Early  in  the  year 
Brother  Pierce  began  preaching  at  these  points,  while  Brother  Wirth 
supplied  the  Seattle  Church  in  his  absence.  In  July  the  mission  work 
of  the  church  had  taken  new  form.  A  committee  on  missions  had 
been  formed,  and  reported  to  the  church :  "  That  Rev.  H.  Vernon, 
encouraged  by  the  committee,  was  now  doing  a  good  work  at  LaCon- 
ner;  that  by  advice  of  the  committee  Rev.  N.  B.  Homan  had  visited 
Newcastle  twice  and  Renton  once ;  that  Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth  had  taken  up 
work  at  Seabeck;  that  Rev.  John  Wichser,  encouraged  by  the  com- 
mittee, had  gone  to  Whatcom,  secured  a  lot  on  which  to  build  a 
house  of  worship,  and  had  plans  laid  for  organizing  a  church,  and 
that  Brother  Wirth  had  opened  a  mission  in  a  hall  at  Lake  Union 
and  organized  a  Sunday-school  of  fifty-four  members."  In  1884  this 
hall  at  Lake  Union  was  consumed  by  fire,  and  the  mission  lost  its 
organ,  library,  and  furnishings.  A  lot  was  then  secured,  and  a 
chapel  built,  and  Prof.  C.  O.  Jones  conducted  a  successful  mission 
there  for  several  years.  The  committee  had  already  raised  $150  to 
aid  in  the  support  of  a  missionary  for  Seattle  and  the  outlying 
districts,  and  recommended  that  the  church  raise  $250  or  more,  with 
Brother  Wirth  in  view  for  the  field,  that  he  might  furnish  regular 
monthly  service  for  Seabeck,  Renton,  Lake  Union,  Newcastle,  and 
the  Scandinavian  churches.  The  committee  recommended  the  pur- 
chase of  a  lot  in  Belltown,  Denny's  addition,  for  $600,  and  arranged 
terms  of  payment ;  it  also  made  arrangements  for  purchasing  a  lot  in 
South  Seattle  for  a  church  building.  A  lot  of  five  acres  v;as  offered 
by  Richard  Holyoke  for  a  Baptist  university.  The  church  voted  that 
its  building  should  be  used  on  Sunday  afternoons  for  a  Scandinavian 
service.  This  comprehensive  plan,  wrought  out  in  six  months,  was 
adopted  by  the  church,  and  did  not  kill  it.  The  church  survived, 
and  worked  out  many  of  these  problems. 

During  1884  growth  was  apparent,  and  the  report  shows  that  the 
spiritual  work  of  the  church  was  keeping  pace  with  its  material 
growth.  The  Sunday-schools  were  thriving,  and  the  Women's  Home 
and  Foreign  Mission  Society,  and  the  Girls'  Mission  Band,  were  in 
good  working  order.     In  the  first  year  of  Brother  Pierce's  pastorate 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  I47 

the   church   added   to    its   building   an   extension,   costing   $900,    for 
prayer-meeting,  Sunday-school,  and  society  work. 

In  February,  1885,  the  pastor,  assisted  by  the  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks, 
held  meetings  of  great  interest,  a  hundred  persons  or  more  often 
remaining  to  the  inquiry  meeting.  About  thirty  of  these  professed 
conversion,  among  them  a  ten-year-old  child  of  the  pastor.  In 
March  of  this  year  the  Women's  Home  Mission  Society  established 
the  Jackson  Street  Mission,  which  afterward  grew  into  the  Market 
Street  Church.  In  April  Brother  Pierce  summarizes  the  results  of 
the  two  years  of  his  pastorate  as  follows:  "Baptized  fifty-two; 
received  by  letter,  forty ;  by  experience,  twenty-one ;  restored  three  ; 
total  additions,  one  hundred  and  sixteen ;  dismissed  by  letter,  nineteen ; 
by  death,  four;  by  exclusion,  five;  total,  twenty-eight;  making  a  net 
gain  of  eighty-eight."  There  were  one  hundred  and  twenty  families 
represented  on  the  rolls,  and  two  hundred  on  the  pastor's  calling  list. 
The  church  had  three  Sunday-schools,  with  over  three  hundred  pupils, 
and  an  average  attendance  of  two  hundred.  The  Sunday-school  also 
furnished  supplies  for  several  other  schools  on  the  Sound.  Eighty-six 
of  the  one  hundred  and  fifty  members  signed  the  subscription  list  in 
the  hard  times  of  1885.  In  June,  1886,  the  church  made  the  following 
unique  report  to  the  Association :  "  Steady  growth ;  two  missionaries 
hopeful;  thirty-five  non-residents  to  furnish  seed  for  five  churches 
in  near-by  towns;  desire  a  missionary  for  King  County;  envelope 
system  a  marked  success.  Women's  Home  Mission  Society  pays  rent 
and  furnishes  libraries  for  two  schools.  The  Women's  Foreign  Mis- 
sion Circle  supports  a  Bible  woman,  and  the  Girls'  Band  a  boy  in 
school  in  a  heathen  land." 

On  November  4,  1885,  the  church  advised  some  of  its  members 
to  unite  in  forming  the  Houghton  Church,  and  dismissed  four  for 
that  purpose.  This  church  was,  in  1886,  absorbed  by  the  First  Baptist 
Church  of  Kirkland,  organized  by  the  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks.  The 
Alaskan  Mission  was  started  in  1886,  and  the  Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth 
called  to  that  work,  and  the  First  Church  shared  liberally  in  its  sup- 
port. In  the  same  year  a  Sunday-school  was  established  in  North 
Seattle.  Among  its  leading  workers  were  the  Hon.  R.  S.  Greene  and 
Robert  Knipe.  It  was  a  flourishing  school  for  a  time,  but  its  property 
was  afterward  given  to  other  churches,  and  the  school  was  dis- 
continued. 

Meanwhile,  by  suggestion  of  Pastor  Pierce,  a  Scandinavian  Bap- 
tist church  was  organized  from  the  members  of  the  First  Church  who 
belonged  to  that  race.  This  church  fell  heir  to  a  good  house  of  wor- 
ship, built  by  the  Rev.  O.  Okcrson,  in  1882,  and  left  in  charge  of  the 
First  Church  until  his  own  people  should  organize  a  church.  The 
First  Church  had  taken  a  liberal  part  in  its  erection.  Pastor  Pierce 
secured  $175  from  seven  of  the  Swedish  members,  and  with  this  sum 
the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association  secured  the 
services  of  Rev.  F.  Christopherson  as  pastor. 


148       BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Early  in  1887  Brother  Pierce  was  granted  a  vacation  of  three 
months,  in  which  he  attended  the  May  Anniversaries.  He  says  that 
upon  his  return  he  found  a  house  cleaned  and  kalsomined,  filled 
with  the  fragrance  of  a  hundred  bouquets,  and,  better  yet,  with 
nearly  a  hundred  earnest  friends  who  had  lingered  until  11  p.  m. 
to  greet  their  pastor  coming  on  a  belated  train. 

About  this  time  lots  were  secured  for  another  mission,  at  Lake- 
view,  on  Jackson  Street,  the  church  now  paying  one-half  of  Brother 
Wirth's  salary  as  Alaskan  missionary;  and  the  sisters  sent  him 
a  box  valued  at  $60,  while  the  women's  societies  were  keeping 
up  both  the  foreign  and  home  work.  In  December,  1887,  another 
effort  was  made  to  keep  pace  with  the  need  for  mission  work  in  the 
rapidly  growing  city  and  its  suburbs.  On  December  20  the  church 
took  action  upon  a  comprehensive  statement  of  the  conditions,  reso- 
lutions were  adopted,  and  an  advisory  committee  appointed,  con- 
sisting of  Pastor  Pierce,  Bro.  H.  King,  and  Sister  L.  V.  Ward, 
to  confer  and  act  with  like  committees  from  the  Second  Church  and 
the  Scandinavian  Church  in  examining  territory,  locating  missions, 
and  so  adjusting  the  work  that  "  through  the  combined  prayers  and 
consecration  of  our  people,  due  to  the  Master,  we  might  faithfully 
occupy  the  field  for  the  permanent  upbuilding  of  his  cause."  The 
same  month  the  church  licensed  William  L.  Ludlow  and  Alonzo 
Humblett  to  preach  the  gospel.  The  contributions  of  the  church  for 
all  purposes  this  year  amounted  to  $5,680.93.  The  membership  num- 
bered two  hundred  and  twenty-seven,  of  whom  seventy-two  were  at 
outposts  and  non-residents.  The  church  had  fifteen  departments  of 
work,  including  the  mission  schools,  the  Young  People's  Society,  a 
Chautauqua,  and  a  Teachers'  Normal  Class.  The  church  had  three 
ordained  ministers.  Brother  Pierce,'  Brother  Wirth,  in  Alaska,  and 
Brother  Bowman  doing  missionary  work  at  other  points.  There  were 
twenty  teachers  in  the  Sunday-schools.  Brother  Pierce  held  ten 
services  each  week,  and  had  one  hundred  and  eighty-seven  families 
on  his  calling  list. 

The  first  work  of  the  Joint  Committee  was  begun  in  North 
Seattle,  in  January,  1888,  when  a  mission  Sunday-school  was  started 
with  sixty  pupils,  and  $70  was  raised  for  a  library  and  for  other  ex- 
penses. In  February  Rev.  George  Robert  Cairns  held  a  series  of 
revival  meetings,  in  which  thirty  persons  were  converted.  In  June 
of  this  year.  Brother  Pierce  resigned  and  accepted  a  position  in  the 
State  University  as  professor  of  mental  philosophy.  This  pastorate 
of  five  and  one-half  years  shows  a  record  of  mission  work  not  often 
paralleled,  if  it  has  its  equal  in  the  Northwest.  Seven  missions  had 
been  organized,  six  of  which  soon  grew  into  churches.  Thirty-seven 
heads  of  families  had  been  received  into  membership,  ninety-two 
young  people,  and  eighty-two  others,  making  a  total  of  two  hundred 
and  ten,  the  dismissions  leaving  the  church  with  two  hundred  and 
thirty  members. 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  I49 

Rev.  Robert  Whitaker  was  called  to  the  pastorate  to  succeed 
Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce.  He  was  a  young  man  of  culture;  brilliant,  capable, 
and  devoted.  His  pastorate  was  characterized  by  unusual  activity 
among  the  young  people.  The  city  was  growing  rapidly,  and  every 
center  of  influence  was  challenged  to  expend  its  energy  to  meet  the 
increasing  demand  upon  its  resources.  Churches  of  Jesus  Christ  \yere 
no  exceptions.  Along  with  this  growth  and  development  came  de- 
mands upon  pastor  and  people  to  breast  and  beat  back  the  increasing- 
tidal  wave  of  iniquity.  Every  pastor  was  a  general.  His  church 
was  a  division  of  the  army  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  called  into  serv- 
ice to  meet  the  foe  of  world-regeneration.  Each  such  pastor  would 
need  eyes  to  look  in  every  direction.  Quick  of  perception,  and  wise 
to  forecast,  Brother  Whitaker  foresaw  the  importance  of  develop- 
ing the  young  people  and  building  them  into  the  life  and  activities  of 
the  church  so  as  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  coming  great  city.  Although 
his  pastorate  continued  only  about  one  year,  yet  he  left  the  young  peo- 
ple with  new  and  broader  conceptions  of  their  lifework  and  the 
church  vigorous  and  hopeful. 

In  1889  the  church  dismissed  eleven  members  to  organize  the 
church  at  Kent,  and  eight  members  to  organize  the  Market  Street 
Church  of  Seattle,  where  a  chapel  had  been  built.  A  promising  down- 
town mission  was  established,  which  finally  drifted  away  from  the  de- 
nomination. The  record  of  the  year  shows  eight  baptized,  fifty-two 
received  by  letter,  and  four  by  experience. 

Brother  Whitaker  having  resigned,  the  Rev.  G.  J.  Burchett  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  on  January  11,  1890.  The  same  year  the 
church  dismissed  thirty-five  members  to  organize  the  North  Seattle 
Church,  twenty-one  members  to  organize  the  Fairhaven  Church,  and 
eight  to  organize  the  Hoquiam  Church.  The  year  was  marked  by 
colonization.  The  church  had  two  Sunday-schools  in  the  city  and 
several  preaching  stations  near  it.  In  1891  a  mission  school  was  or- 
ganized in  South  Seattle,  with  eighty-seven  present.  Bro.  J.  B. 
Fox,  a  young  man  of  promise,  was  licensed  to  preach. 

December  30,  1889,  was  a  high  day  for  the  First  Church.  Its 
new  pastor.  Rev.  G.  J.  Burchett,  had  just  come  upon  the  field.  Rev. 
Thomas  Baldwin  had  accepted  the  call  of  the  North  Seattle  Church, 
and  Rev.  I.  W.  Read  that  of  the  Market  Street  Church,  thus  tripling 
the  Baptist  churches  and  pastors  of  the  city.  In  honor  of  the  event 
a  banquet  was  held  at  the  Rainier  Grand  Hotel,  which  was  largely 
attended  by  the  Baptists  of  the  city.  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  delivered  the 
parting  address  to  the  retiring  pastor  and  the  address  of  welcome  to 
the  new  pastors.  Both  this  address  and  the  responses  were  full  of 
hope  and  enthusiasm  and  left  the  Baptists  of  the  city  sailing  on  the 
high  tide  of  possibilities.  Brother  Whitaker,  in  his  response,  re- 
marked "  that  he  felt  flattered  to  know  that  three  such  large  men  were 
employed  to  cover  the  field  he  had  ocupied  alone  for  a  year."  The 
incoming  pastors  were  all  men  of  strength,  ability,  and  experience; 


150       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

and  gave  a  promise,  which  was  fulfilled,  of  rapid  growth  in  their 
churches.  Out  of  this  banquet  grew  the  Baptist  Social  Union,  which 
flourished  for  a  time;  and  a  fine  church  property  at  Ballard  was 
secured  as  a  result  of  the  efiforts  of  its  members. 

The  First  Church  was  much  reduced  in  numbers,  but  it  was  in 
no  way  discouraged.  These  missions  of  hers  had  rapidly  grown  to 
maturity,  and  the  mother  church  gladly  gave  up  some  of  her  best 
members  to  unite  in  forming  these  new  church  homes.  The  mother 
church  had  still  a  strong,  influential,  and  courageous  membership  left ; 
and,  under  the  leadership  of  its  new  pastor,  soon  began  to  canvass 
the  matter  of  a  new  church  building.  Lots  were  purchased  at  the 
corner  of  Seventh  and  Cherry  Streets,  on  which  by  a  hearty  vote 
the  church  decided  to  erect  a  building  for  its  future  home  to  cost 
not  less  than  $50,000. 

Brother  Burchett  continued  his  pastorate  four  years.  Large 
ingatherings  occurred  in  1890  and  1891,  the  membership  running  up 
to  three  hundred  and  twenty-four.  Eighty-six  were  received  in  one 
year.  The  young  people's  society  pursued  its  work  with  vigor,  and 
was  represented  on  the  National  Convention's  Executive  Committee, 
at  the  annual  meeting  in  Chicago.  The  church  maintained  three 
Simday-schools,  having  thirty-six  officers  and  teachers,  four  hundred 
and  eight  pupils,  and  three  hundred  and  six  in  average  attendance. 
Brother  Burchett  held  an  honorable  and  influential  position  in  all  lines 
of  denominational  activity,  and  was  recognized  as  one  of  our  strong 
and  prominent  men  in  those  days.  For  a  time  he  pushed  the  matter 
of  building,  but  the  continued  and  pronounced  financial  depression, 
from  1891  to  1894,  rendered  it  impossible  to  proceed.  Brother  Bur- 
chett established  a  Chinese  and  Japanese  mission,  employing  a  num- 
ber of  devoted  workers.  There  was  at  the  time  in  the  church 
what  Doctor  Price  calls  "  an  unassimilated  element,''  difficult  to  keep 
in  harmony,  which  grew  into  a  widespread  disaffection ;  and  finally, 
coupled  with  financial  depression  and  sickness  in  the  pastor's  family, 
caused  the  resignation  of  Brother  Burchett,  who  left  the  State 
and  settled  in  a  suburb  of  Philadelphia.  As  a  result  of  conditions 
already  mentioned.  Doctor  Pierce  states  that  "  in  1895  the  church, 
being  unable  to  carry  its  indebtedness,  deeded  its  new  property 
away."  Still  worshiping  in  the  old  building,  the  church  rallied  and 
called  to  the  pastorate  Rev.  C.  Taylor,  and  a  new  impetus  was  given 
to  the  work.  The  old  church  soon  became  too  small  to  accommodate 
the  audiences  that  gathered,  and  the  Seattle  Theater  was  rented 
for  six  months.  Doctor  Pierce  says  of  Brother  Taylor's  effort: 
"  Large  and  enthusiastic  audiences  greeted  him  repeatedly,  but  no 
permanent  growth  was  received."  At  the  end  of  the  year  Brother 
Taylor  resigned  and  accepted  a  call  to  Dayton,  Ohio.  At  the  time 
there  were  rumors  of  a  general  dissolution.  The  sainted  Doctor 
Rust  is  credited  with  saying:  "  A  Baptist  church  is  the  hardest  church 
in  the  world  to  build  up.  because  it  insists  upon  a  regenerated  church- 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  I5I 

membership."  We  believe  he  was  correct,  and  we  believe  further 
that  a  Baptist  church  is  the  hardest  church  in  the  world  to  kill,  for 
the  same  reason.  At  least,  so  it  proved  with  the  old  First  Church  of 
Seattle.  It  had  been  filled  with  Newton  and  Hamilton  theology  under 
Doctors  Freeman,  Weston,  and  Pierce,  as  teachers,  and  with  the  old 
Welsh  theology  under  Pastor  Wirth  as  teacher  for  nine  years,  and 
with  William  Jewel  theology  under  Pastor  Burchett  for  four  years. 
Such  a  combination  as  this  must  live  and  succeed,  and  so  did  the 
old  church.  Samsonlike,  it  rose  above  the  great  depression,  leaving 
an  open  gate  for  another  pastor  to  enter  the  field,  and  called  the 
Rev.  E.  C.  Ohrum,  of  Boston,  a  member  of  Doctor  Gordon's  church, 
and  an  enthusiastic  advocate  of  his  peculiar  views.  He  was  en- 
gaged for  six  months.  When  the  period  of  trial  was  over,  and  a  vote 
was  taken,  there  was  some  opposition ;  and  about  thirty  of  his  most 
devoted  adherents  withdrew  and  proposed  to  organize  a  new  church 
with  Brother  Ohrum  as  leader.    This  was  in  March,  1896. 

The  proposed  organization  was  perfected  under  the  name  of  the 
Tabernacle  Church,  with  Brother  Ohrum  as  pastor.  This  was  a  new 
experience  for  the  old  First  Church.  The  opposition  to  Brother  Ohrum 
did  not  result  in  bitter  strife,  though  various  statements  were  made, 
any  one  of  which  might  have  led  to  strife  long  drawn  out.  The 
members  going  out  believed  that  they  were  led  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  in  their  first  prayer  meeting  began  praying  for  those  who  were 
left  in  the  old  church.  Those  who  remained  in  the  old  church,  be- 
lieving that  they  were  led  by  the  same  Spirit,  began  praying  for  those 
who  had  gone  out  to  establish  a  new  church.  The  prayers  of  both 
were  answered,  and  the  First  Church  entered  upon  a  new  career  of 
unity  and  usefulness,  while  the  new  church  thanked  God  and  pros- 
pered. It  was  not  an  entirely  new  solution  for  church  troubles,  but 
one  worthy  of  imitation. 

Though  it  remained  pastorless  for  some  months,  yet  the  First 
Church,  with  a  unanimity  seldom  seen  where  difficulties  of  such  magni- 
tude had  to  be  overcome,  held  its  forces  together  and  continued 
vigorously  active  in  all  departments  of  cluirch  work.  In  November 
Rev.  L.  S.  Bowerman,  pastor  of  the  church  at  Randolph,  Mass..  was 
called  to  the  pastorate.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Newton  Theological 
Seminary,  and  had  experience  in  church  work.  This  call  appeared  to 
be  given  by  the  Spirit's  leading.  When  Brother  Bowerman  had  spent 
two  weeks  with  the  church,  he  called  the  committee  of  sixteen  to- 
gether after  the  evening  service,  and  after  prayer  and  consultation 
released  them  from  all  responsibility  about  his  call,  and  asked  them 
that  they  would  vote  upon  the  recommendation  again,  and  if  any  of 
them  had  reason  to  change  their  minds,  they  would  indicate  it  by 
their  votes.  There  were  fifteen  of  the  committee  present,  and  the  vote 
was  unanimous  and  hearty.  Brother  Bowerman  accepted  this  as  an 
indication  of  the  Spirit's  guidance  and  accepted  the  call.  At  this  time 
the  church  had  two  hundred  and  sixtv  members,  over  a  hundred  of 


152       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    ITORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

them  in  the  Young  People's  Society,  including  three  principals  and 
twelve  teachers  in  the  ward  schools.  The  noted  evangelist,  Rev. 
George  Robert  Cairns,  had  been  supplying  the  church  for  some  time, 
and  everything  seemed  ripe  for  the  coming  of  a  new  pastor. 

Rev.  L.  S.  Bowerman  was  a  native  of  Springfield,  Mo.  He 
graduated  from  William  Jewell  College,  in  1886,  and  from  Newton 
Theological  Seminary,  in  1889.  His  first  pastorate  was  at  Medford, 
Mass.,  where  he  spent  two  prosperous  years.  In  1891  he  became 
pastor  in  Randolph,  Mass.,  where  he  spent  five  years.  He  resigned 
this  pastorate  to  become  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Seattle, 
begininng  his  work  October  15,  1896.  He  had  studied  the  conditions 
in  Seattle  and  found  that  a  new  house  of  worship  was  needed.  The 
church  had  taken  up  this  matter  in  1892  by  purchasing  adjoining 
property,  thus  providing  a  valuable  site  at  Fourth  and  Cherry  Streets. 
Many  supposedly  good  subscriptions  were  taken  to  cover  the  terms  of 
the  purchase,  but  the  panic  followed,  many  of  the  w-ealthiest  members 
lost  their  all,  and  the  entire  property  had  to  be  put  under  a  mortgage, 
leaving  the  church  with  a  debt  of  $19,000,  more  than  the  property 
would  bring  after  the  decline  in  values.  Notes  were  due,  and 
deficiency  judgment  was  pronounced  against  the  church.  Collections 
could  not  be  made,  for  the  financial  pressure  was  too  great.  Re- 
movals and  division  had  depleted  the  membership  until,  out  of  two 
hundred  and  sixty  members  enrolled,  only  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  resident  members  were  left. 

The  outlook  seemed  almost  hopeless  when  Brother  Bowerman  took 
up  the  work;  but  he  saw  a  growing  city  of  seventy  thousand  people, 
and  this  the  largest  Baptist  church  in  it.  He  believed  that  God 
would  open  a  way  to  retrieve  all  that  was  lost  and  more.  Having 
strong  supporters  among  the  brethren,  he  took  the  matter  up  with  the 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.  He  says :  '"  That  was  a  glad 
day  when  Doctor  Morgan  wired,  '  Board  voted  a  loan  of  $4,000.' " 
All  debts  were  honorably  settled,  and  the  church  was  commended  by 
all  as  doing  more  than  the  fair  thing.  The  papers  were  all  signed,  and 
the  church  had  saved  a  lot  sixty  feet  by  a  hundred  and  twenty,  and 
owed  but  $3,000  on  it  to  the  Society. 

A  Building  Committee  was  appointed  and  given  authority  to  pro- 
ceed with  the  erection  of  a  new  building.  It  was  begun  in  1897,  by 
removing  the  old  building  to  the  rear  of  the  lot  for  the  use  of  the 
Sunday-school,  and  erecting  in  front  an  auditorium,  with  the  necessary 
rooms  for  all  departments  of  church  work.  Brother  Bowerman  was 
enthusiastic  in  leading  this  enterprise.  The  basement  of  the  new 
building  was  occupied  on,  or  about,  November  15,  1897,  and  the  first 
baptism  in  the  new  auditorium  was  administered  in  December,  1898, 
when  Brother  Bowerman  baptized  three  candidates.  The  building 
was  completed,  except  for  seating  the  gallery,  and  dedicated  June  4, 
1899,  having  cost  over  $14,000.  Meanwhile  the  membership  had 
increased  to  over  three  hundred. 


Mrs.   A.   J.    Hanford 
("  Mother  "  of  the  First  Seattle  Church) 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  1 53 

V 

Elma  Church   (1870) 

The  Elma  Church  was  organized  with  twenty-four  members  in 
June,  1870.  It  was  located  in  Chehalis  County,  about  twenty  miles 
.west  of  Chehalis.  Brother  Weston  supplied  the  church  until  January, 
1871,  when  Rev.  Joseph  Casto  was  called  to  the  pastorate.  A  union 
Sunday-school  that  had  been  in  progress  was  changed  by  Bro.  P. 
H.  Harper  into  a  Baptist  school.  The  church  was  a  constituent  mem- 
ber of  the  Puget  Sound  Association,  reporting  fourteen  accessions — 
nine  by  baptism — and  six  dismissed.  Bro.  P.  H.  Harper  was  or- 
dained by  the  church  in  1872  by  advice  of  a  council  consisting  of  Rev. 
R.  Weston,  Rev.  Joseph  Casto,  Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns,  Dea.  T.  Han- 
ford,  and  Rev.  E.  Curtis,  general  missionary  of  the  Home  Mission 
Society.  The  church  was  represented  in  the  Association  until  1874, 
when  a  committee  from  the  Association  reported  that  most  of  the 
members  had  removed  to  Shoalwater  Bay,  to  Puget  Sound,  to  Cali- 
fornia, and  elsewhere;  and  the  few  left  thought  it  best  to  strike 
the  name  of  the  church  from  the  list,  which  was  done. 

VI 

Forest  Baptist  Church   (1872) 

Located  in  Clark  County,  near  Salmon  Creek  Church.  This 
church  was  organized  by  Rev.  Alvin  Clark,  after  his  exclusion  from 
the  Salmon  Creek  Church,  and  consisted  of  about  a  half-dozen  mem- 
bers who  agreed  with  him  in  his  feetwashing  notions.  He  preached 
for  it  about  a  year ;  some  moved  away ;  Brother  Clark  died,  and  the 
church  came  to  nothing.  It  made  an  application  to  come  into  the 
Puget  Sound  Association  in  1873,  but  the  committee  to  which  it  was 
referred  did  not  recommend  its  reception,  and  it  made  no  further 
efforts  for  recognition. 

VII 

Oysterville  Church  (1871) 

The  church  is  located  on  Shoalwater  Bay,  Washington,  and  was 
organized  June  4,  1871,  by  Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns,  colporter  of  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  with  four  members,  among 
them  R.  H.  Espey,  for  many  years  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  Baptist 
cause,  both  in  Oregon  and  in  Washington.  This  church  was  one  of 
the  constituent  members  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association.  In  No- 
vember, 1871,  the  following  resolution  was  adopted  by  the  church: 
"  That  baptisms  administered  by  any  other  than  a  Baptist  will  not  be 
considered  by  this  church  as  a  valid  administration  of  the  rite." 
For  a  year   Brother   Steams   visited   the   church    and   held   services 


154       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

once  a  month.  The  church  supplemented  his  salary  of  $400  from  the 
society  by  paying  him  $200.  His  work  calling  him  to  another  part  of 
the  field,  the  church  was  without  a  pastor  until  1876,  when  Rev.  J. 
Wichser  came  to  the  field  and  preached  for  the  church  one  year. 
At  this  time,  urgent  application  to  the  Home  Mission  Board  for  aid 
was  not  successful.  From  May,  1878,  until'  1880,  Rev.  \V.  F.  M. 
James,  Sunday-school  missionary  of  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the 
North  Pacific  Coast,  visited  the  field  occasionally  and  held  services. 
Meantime,  regular  service,  Sunday-school,  and  prayer  meetings  were 
maintained,  the  brethren  reading  a  sermon  when  no  preacher  was 
present.  It  was  an  inspiration  to  visit  this  church  and  to  witness 
their  devotion  to  the  Master  and  his  work,  as  the  author  can  testify 
after  the  visits  made  by  him  in  1875  and  later. 

We  quote  from  the  Baptist  Beacon  a  characteristic  letter  from 
Brother  Espey,  which  would  apply  to  many  fields  on  the  North 
Pacific  Coast  at  that  time :  "  There  are  Baptist  ministers  who  are  idle. 
Here  is  a  large  vineyard.  Enter  it  and  labor,  and  whatsoever  is  right 
the  Lord  of  the  vineyard  promised  to  pay,  and  we  will  go  bail  that 
he  will  fulfil  his  promise.  There  is  a  large  field  here  unoccupied. 
Four  counties,  and  not  one  Baptist  minister  in  them — Pacific,  Che- 
halis,  Wahkiakum,  Cowlitz.  There  are  Baptists  scattered  all  over 
these  counties." 

In  December,  1878,  Rev.  J.  T.  Huff,  general  missionary  of  the 
North  Pacific  Coast  Convention,  held  meetings  for  twelve  days,  in 
which  there  were  some  converts,  and  the  church  was  much  encour- 
aged and  strengthened.  In  1880  the  church  reports  but  seven  mem- 
bers, and  three  of  these  residing  from  twenty  to  thirty  miles  away; 
and  yet  the  church  kept  up  its  service,  Sunday-school,  and  prayer 
meetings  with  but  little  ministerial  aid,  until  1888,  when  Rev.  J.  T. 
Huft'  became  pastor  and  served  the  church  until  1891,  at  which  time 
he  resigned  and  Rev.  A.  A.  Witham  succeeded  him,  with  fourteen 
members.  Brother  Witham  had  remained  but  a  few  months  when 
Brother  Huff  took  up  the  work  again.  In  June,  1892,  Brother  Huft' 
was  pastor,  with  twenty-five  members ;  nine  of  them  added  by  bap- 
tism, and  the  church  reported  that  it  had  enjoyed  everything  it  could 
wish  for,  having  services  twice  a  month.  It  was  attempting  to  build 
a  house  of  worship.  Through  the  munificence  of  Dea.  R.  H.  Espey, 
the  house  was  dedicated  October  9,  1892.  It  was  a  little  gem,  cost- 
ing $1,500. 

In  June,  1893,  Rev.  Josiah  Crouch  was  pastor  at  Oysterville, 
South  Bend,  and  Willapa.  The  Oysterville  Church  reported  a  pros- 
perous year  financially  and  spiritually.  It  had  twenty-six  members 
and  a   Sunday-school  enrolment  of  sixty. 

In  June,  1894,  Rev.  Frank  Ireland  was  pastor.  The  church  re- 
ported very  troublous  times  that  year,  caused  by  the  immoral  conduct 
of  a  former  pastor,  but  thanked  the  Master  for  sending  them  a  pastor 
w'ho  was  then  getting  hold  of  the  work.     The  prayer  meetings  were 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  I55 

well  attended,  and  were  having  a  good  influence.  The  Sunday-school, 
with  good  officers  and  teachers,  was  doing  a  good  work. 

In  June,  1895,  the  church  again  reported  changes.  Its  heloved 
pastor,  Rev.  Frank  Ireland,  had  been  called  to  his  home  above 
January  17,  and  Brother  Griswold  a  few  days  later.  On  January  29 
it  had  called  Rev.  W.  A.  Stark,  its  present  pastor.  The  prayer  meet- 
ings and  the  Sunday-school  were  well  attended.  Fourteen  of  the 
members  were  non-resident ;  and,  so  far  as  supporting  the  work  of  the 
church  was  concerned,  were  as  dead  roots  to  a  tree.  The  number 
of  members  reported  was  thirty-four,  eight  of  them  added  by  baptism 
within  the  year.  The  average  attendance  at  Sunday-school  was  forty. 
In  1896  and  1897  we  can  find  no  report  of  the  church,  either  in  the 
minutes  or  elsewhere. 

In  June,  1898,  Rev.  Robert  Yeatman  was  pastor;  but  the  church 
did  not  report  to  the  Association  or  in  October  to  the  Convention. 
In  1899,  however,  it  reported  thirty-seven  members,  with  a  Sunday- 
school  enrolment  of  forty-nine.  Brother  Yeatman  was  also  pastor 
at  South  Bend  and  Willapa.  In  June,  1900,  the  Oysterville  Church 
reported  that  the  regular  services  had  been  maintained,  that  a  special 
effort  resulted  in  one  baptism,  and  that  the  outstations  had  a  good 
share  of  attention,  but  additional  work  was  needed.  There  were 
thirty-eight  members,  and  forty-five  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school. 

VIII 
Olympia  First  Church    (1871) 

This  church  was  organized  with  nine  members  by  the  messengers 
of  the  Puget  Sound  Association  at  the  close  of  the  initial  session, 
which  was  held  at  Olympia,  the  capital  of  Washington  Territory. 
Rev.  E.  Curtis,  who  was  at  that  time  general  missionary  of  the 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  was  present  and  participated 
in  the  organization,  and  baptized  Judge  R.  S.  Greene  as  the  first 
convert.  Rev.  Joseph  Casto  was  chosen  pastor.  Two  lots  were 
secured  for  a  church  building,  one  of  them  being  donated,  and  the 
other  purchased  for  $120. 

In  1872  the  church  was  received  as  a  member  of  the  Puget 
Sound  Association.  In  June  of  that  year  the  treasurer's  report 
showed  $344.15  as  the  income  of  the  church.  Nine  dollars  of  this 
was  for  home  missions,  and  five  dollars  had  been  raised  by  the 
Women's  Foreign  Mission  Circle.  Besides  this,  $800  had  been  raised 
for  a  house  of  worship,  which  was  completed  and  dedicated  Sep- 
tember I,  1872.  In  February,  1873,  Brother  Casto  having  resigned. 
Judge  R.  S.  Greene  was  given  a  license  to  preach :  and  he  supplied 
the  church  as  his  official  duties  permitted.  In  August,  1874,  Brother 
Greene  was  ordained  and  chosen  pastor;  an  advisory  council  of  seven 
ministers  and  two  deacons  participated  in  the  ordination.  Brother 
Greene's  pastorate  continued  until  May,  1875.     Besides  preaching,  he 


156       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

acted  as  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school,  taught  a  Bible  class,  in- 
stituted a  monthly  concert  of  prayer  for  foreign  missions  and  a  weekly 
evening  meeting  for  Bible  study.  Through  these  agencies  the  church 
became  helpfully  and  prayerfully  interested  in  foreign  missions.  In 
May,  1875,  Brother  Greene  resigned  on  account  of  failing  health, 
and  J.  B.  H.  Hewitt  was  engaged  as  temporary  supply.  Of  this 
brother  nothing  further  seems  to  be  known.  He  had  served 
but  a  few  months  when  Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow,  of  Sacramento,  was 
called  to  the  pastorate.  Brother  Ludlow  entered  upon  his  pastorate 
in  December,  1875.  No  mission  aid  was  rendered  to  the  church. 
Early  in  its  career  it  was  held  by  the  members  that,  when  there  were 
ten  families  in  the  church,  they  ought  to  support  a  pastor.  By 
giving  him  a  tenth  of  their  income  he  could  support  his  family  as 
well  as  the  average  family  in  the  church.  This  tithing  was  practically 
put  into  operation  when  Brother  Ludlow  arrived  and  found  a  house 
already  furnished  by  members  taking  the  tenth  from  their  own 
homes  to  furnish  his. 

In  1876  a  Chinese  mission  school  was  established,  which  some- 
times had  as  many  as  forty  pupils,  of  whom  some  professed  con- 
version, but  none  united  with  the  church.  This  mission  school  con- 
tinued about  one  year  only.  Brother  Ludlow's  pastorate  was  marked 
by  many  peculiar  religious  eccentricities.  Both  he  and  Brother 
Greene  had  adopted  the  belief  that  such  a  state  of  perfection  in 
Christian  life  had  been  attained  by  them  that  what  they  said  and  did 
was  under  the  direct  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Brother  Ludlow, 
especially,  held  that  when  he  preached  his  was  the  utterance  of 
Jesus  Christ,  sometimes  announcing  that  Jesus  Christ  would  preach 
in  the  church  at  the  hour  of  regular  service.  At  one  time  he  issued 
a  circular  letter  to  the  churches,  sending  it  out  signed  "  Jesus  Christ." 
The  church  thought  the  second  coming  of  our  Lord  to  be  at  hand, 
and  made  it  objectionably  prominent  in  the  opinion  of  many  good 
Christians.  Such  teachings  reacted  upon  people's  estimate  of  the 
church,  both  in  the  denomination  and  out  of  it.  The  members  were 
often  designated,  "  Free  Methodists."  They  retained  their  standing 
in  the  Association,  and  among  our  people  because  of  their  great 
interest  in  missions,  especially  foreign  missions,  and  in  Christian 
education,  in  which  Judge  Greene  was  both  an  adviser  and  an 
example;  but  most  of  all,  perhaps,  because  of  the  beautiful  conse- 
crated life  of  Judge  Greene,  and  of  his  being  so  scholarly  and  biblical 
an  exegete,  in  which  capacity  he  had  few  peers  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 
There  was  always  a  belief  too,  that  ere  long  such  a  modification  of 
views  would  be  reached  that  objections  to  the  affiliation  of  the 
church  with  the  organized  work  of  the  denomination  would  disappear. 

In  February,  1879,  Brother  Ludlow  resigned.  Meanwhile 
Brother  Greene  had  been  appointed  a  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
and  found  it  necessary  to  remove  his  office  to  Seattle.  Brother  Lud- 
low, being  appointed  chief  clerk,  removed  to  Seattle  also.    For  a  time 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  1 57 

they  retained  their  membership  at  Olympia,  and  suppHed  the  church; 
but  in  October,  1879,  the  church  called  a  council,  and  ordained  Festus 
Campbell,  a  colored  member,  who  preached  for  the  church  for  a 
time.  In  1880  only  five  resident  members  were  left.  They  had  no 
pastor,  but  kept  up  meetings  for  prayer  and  a  Sunday-school  for 
Bible  study.  In  1881  but  four  resident  members  were  left,  and 
yet  the  church  raised  $100  for  home  missions  and  $30  for  foreign 
missions.  Early  in  1885  Sister  May  C.  Jones  visited  the  church 
and  held  a  meeting,  which  resulted  in  two  conversions.  Sister  Jones 
held  practically  the  same  doctrines  as  Brothers  Greene  and  Ludlow. 
She  was  chosen  pastor,  and  served  the  church  one  half  the  time 
until  June,  1886.  From  that  time  until  June,  1888,  the  church  had  no 
pastor,  and  the  congregation  mostly  drifted  away  to  other  denomina- 
tions ;  but  a  few  devoted  members  kept  up  the  prayer  meeting  and 
the  Sunday-school. 

In  1888  the  church,  encouraged  by  the  arrival  of  new  Baptist 
families,  and  by  a  hopeful  increase  in  the  Sunday-school,  made  ap- 
plication to  the  Home  Mission  Board  to  take  up  the  work.  This 
resulted  in  the  settlement  in  Olympia  of  the  Rev.  W.  B.  Pope  in 
October  of  that  year.  Brother  Pope  was  highly  esteemed  and  hope- 
fully successful  for  a  year  or  more,  but  thought  best  to  close  his 
pastorate  in  May,  1890. 

In  1890  the  church  reports  a  year  of  disappointments.  There 
was  no  pastor  in  June,  but  the  preaching  supplied  was  acceptable. 
Later  in  the  summer  Rev.  J.  C.  Douglass  became  the  pastor,  and  in 
June,  1891,  the  church  welcomed  the  Association.  The  year  had  been 
one  of  great  troubles  and  disappointment.  About  half  the  mem- 
bers had  withdrawn  to  organize  the  new  Temple  Church  under  the 
lead  of  the  pastor,  Rev.  J.  C.  Douglass.  Twenty-one  members  re- 
mained, and  they  were  pastorless.  The  church  had  a  fine,  large 
corner  lot,  well  located,  and  a  small  house  of  worship.  Miss  Emma 
L.  Miller  had  just  organized  a  Women's  Home  and  Foreign  Mission 
Society,  with  eight  members.  The  church  pledged  ten  dollars  to  the 
ministers*  relief  fund. 

Rev.  W.  E.  Prichard  became  pastor  in  September,  1891,  when 
the  church  was  still  suffering  from  the  shock  of  the  division.  Under 
his  wise  leadership  and  the  blessing  of  God,  it  was  greatly  strength- 
ened and  encouraged.  Before  June,  1892,  some  twent\'^-eight  mem- 
bers were  received  into  the  church,  seven  of  them  by  baptism,  more 
than  doubling  the  membership.  The  Sunday-school  had  sixty-five 
enrolled,  and  was  prospering  under  the  superintendence  of  Bro.  J. 
R.  Mitchell.  The  services  were  well  attended,  and  the  prayer  meetings 
good.  In  Tune,  1893,  some  progress  had  been  made,  though  the  times 
had  been  hard,  and  many  members  had  been  obliged  to  leave  the 
town.     There  were  forty-nine  members  in  the  church. 

In  October,  1893,  the  Olympia  Temple  Church  asked  for  aid 
from  the  Home  Mission  Board  of  the  Convention;  and  a  committee, 


158       BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

consisting  of  Revs.  J.  Cairns  and  W.  F.  Harper  and  Deacon  Haugh- 
ton,  was  appointed  to  try  to  effect  a  union  of  this  church  with  the 
First  Church.  After  six  weeks  of  correspondence  this  committee  was 
accepted  by  both  churches,  and  on  the  evening  of  Thanksgiving  Day 
the  terms  of  union  were  finally  agreed  upon.  Each  church  was  to 
furnish  a  list  of  its  members  in  good  standing,  who  were  to  consti- 
tute a  new  church  called  the  Olympia  Central  Baptist  Church. 
The  property  of  both  churches  was  to  belong  to  the  new  church ;  new 
officers  were  to  be  elected;  and  after  Brother  Prichard  had  served  the 
united  church  for  a  short  time,  a  new  pastor  was  to  be  called. 
After  the  articles  of  incorporation  were  completed  and  amended, 
the  entire  membership  of  the  Temple  Church,  sixty-three  members, 
united  by  letter  with  the  First  Church ;  the  new  Central  Church  was 
incorporated;  and  the  property  duly  deeded  over  to  it. 

Olympia  Central  Church  (1894) 

This  church  was  a  new  incorporation  of  the  Olympia  First 
Church  with  the  Olympia  Temple  Church.  The  organization  was 
completed  on  May  3,  1894,  with  eighty-six  members.  In  a  blessed 
series  of  meetings,  conducted  by  the  district  missionary,  Rev.  C.  C. 
Marston,  who  became  pastor  in  June,  the  church  was  greatly 
revived;  seventeen  were  added  by  baptism  and  six  by  letter,  making 
one  hundred  and  nine  members.  The  moment  that  the  long-wished- 
for  union  of  the  two  churches  was  effected,  the  divine  approval  was 
manifested  in  saving  power.  In  October,  1894.  the  church  was 
again  pastorless.  In  April,  1895,  it  had  been  without  a  pastor  for 
eight  months ;  but  it  had  a  B.  Y.  P.  U.  of  fifty  members,  faithful  to 
their  motto  of  "  Loyalty  to  Christ,''  -who  had  kept  up  the  weekly 
prayer  meeting,  the  Sunday-school,  and  the  B.  Y.  P.  U.  meetings  all 
the  time.  Rev.  S.  A.  Abbott,  the  district  missionary,  had  been  with 
them  for  a  week,  and  two  converts  were  brought  into  the  fold.  Rev. 
F.  H.  Webster  became  pastor  of  the  church  the  same  month ;  but  in 
October  the  church  was  again  without  a  pastor. 

On  February  9,  1896,  Rev.  A.  G.  Sawin,  of  Newton,  Kan.,  and 
more  recently  of  Cameron,  Mo.,  a  sweet-spirited  Christian,  and 
an  excellent  preacher  and  pastor,  began  his  pastorate  on  this  diffi- 
cult field  at  Olympia.  On  Friday  evening,  February  21,  the  church 
gave  him  a  public  reception.  Rev.  G.  N.  Drury,  who  had  been  the 
permanent  supply  for  some  months,  presided  and  extended  a  welcome 
on  behalf  of  the  church.  The  pastors  of  other  churches  welcomed 
Brother  Sawin  to  the  city;  and  the  general  missionary,  Rev.  D.  D. 
Proper,  welcomed  him  to  the  brotherhood  of  the  Northwest  Baptist 
Convention.  Pastor  Sawin  replied  in  a  very  felicitous  speech,  after 
which  bountiful  refreshments  were  served  by  the  ladies.  The  church 
had  called  Brother  Sawin  without  seeing  him,  and  were  remarkably 
well  pleased  with  their  choice.     In   October,   1896,   the  membership 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  1 59 

reported  was  ninety-five,  and  the  Sunday-school  enrolment  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty.  In  1897  Rev.  W.  E.  Randall,  the  general  mission- 
ary, reported  that  the  Olympia  Church,  with  a  gem  of  a  building  and 
a  jewel  of  a  pastor,  was  making  substantial  progress,  and  would  soon 
require  a  larger  edifice.  In  1898  the  church  reports  in  June  that  its 
numbers  had  been  greatly  diminished  by  removals,  but  rejoiced  that 
others  had  come  to  fill  up  the  ranks.  Revs.  D.  C.  Ellis  and  W.  E. 
Randall  had  assisted  in  special  meetings,  which  resulted  in  much  good. 
The  regular  services  were  well  maintained.  Four  outstations  were 
supplied  once  each  month  by  the  pastor,  and  three  Sunday-schools  had 
been  organized  in  the  country  districts.  Brother  Sawin  remained 
until  after  the  opening  of  the  new  century,  which  the  church  entered 
with  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  members  and  a  Sunday-school  en- 
rolment of  nearly  three  hundred.  Rev.  E.  O.  Sullivan,  field  editor 
of  the  Pacific  Baptist,  visited  Olympia  in  1898,  and  describes  condi- 
tions in  the  church  as  follows : 

Our  church  now  numbers  one  hundred  and  three  members,  though  half 
of  them  are  non-residents.  Those  who  hav'e  kno\w  the  personnel  of  this 
church  in  years  gone  by  would  hardly  know  it  now,  so  greatly  has  it 
changed.  Nor  have  all  the  members  of  the  past  left  town  or  gone  to 
heaven;  they  still  linger,  but  are  not  in  fellowship  with  their  brethren. 
This  church  has  made  remarkable  history.  It  is  an  old  church,  one  of 
the  oldest  in  the  State.  For  a  time  it  was  two,  and  worshiped  in  two 
houses,  then  it  became  one  again,  at  least  nominally  so,  but  still  two  in 
fact,  till  twenty-five  or  more  voted  themselves  out  after  the  "  union."  All 
this  is  in  the  past.  The  present  condition  of  the  church  is  peaceful. 
Services  are  held  in  the  old  house,  which  seats  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  people.  The  house  has  been  neatly  painted  outside,  and  looks 
well  inside.  The  services  are  well  attended,  and  the  church  stands  well  in 
the  community.  No  church  in  Olympia  is  doing  better  work  just  now. 
Its  deacons  are  B.  W.  Johns,  George  Savidge,  and  Rev.  G.  N.  Drury, 
father  of  Mrs.  C.  F.  Brownlee,  of  Centralia.  Mrs.  Emma  Marston  is 
the  esteemed  Sunday-school  superintendent,  and  Mrs.  H.  A.  Mackey  is 
president  of  the  ladies'  aid  society  and  the  women's  mission  society. 
Miss  Anna  Buker  is  president  of  the  B.  Y.  P.  U.  of  seventy  members, 
and  also  superintendent  of  a  mission  Sunday-school  on  the  west  side  of 
town,  a  mile  and  a  half  away.  Though  this  church  is  weak  and  poor, 
with  a  debt  of  $700  on  its  property,  still  it  contributed  the  past  year  $80 
toward    missions. 

The  present  pastor,  Rev.  A.  G.  Sawin.  under  whose  wise  and  cautious 
leadership  the  present  state  of  peace  and  unity  had  been  brought  about, 
entered  upon  his  work  here  in  February,  1896.  .  .  He  is  the  very  soul  of 
Christian  courtesy  in  his  home  and  among  his  people,  and  it  is  small 
wonder  that  he  is  so  highly  esteemed  for  his  gentle  ways  and  thought- 
ful services.  In  addition  to  his  Sunday  services,  both  morning  and 
evening,  in  Olympia,  he  preaches  once  a  month  on  the  west  side  of  town, 
once  a  month  at  Tumwater,  two  miles  south,  and  once  a  month  at  Mud 
Bay — at  all  these  places  on  Sunday  afternoons. 

It  is  only  justice  to  the  officers  of  the  Home  Mission  Society  and 
the  local  Board,  and  to  the  excellent  pastors  wdiom  they  assisted  in 
supporting  at  Olympia  to  state  that,  prior  to  the  pastorate  of  Brother 
Sawin,  conditions  existed  in  the  church  there  which  rendered  it  ap- 


l6o      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

parently  necessary  to  change  pastors  so  frequently  as  not  to  accom- 
plish the  results  that  one  would  naturally  expect  in  a  city  like 
Olympia. 

IX 

Harmony  Church  (1873) 

It  was  located  at  what  is  now  Skagit  City,  in  Skagit  County. 
It  was  organized  with  six  members,  by  Rev.  B.  N.  L.  Davis, 
September  13,  1873,  and  came  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association  the 
same  year.  Brother  Davis  served  the  church  about  three  years.  In 
1875  it  reported  itself  as  prosperous,  and  as  conducting  two  Bap- 
tist Sunday-schools.  It  was  not  represented  after  1876.  In  that 
year  Rev.  George  Taylor,  an  English  Baptist,  came  into  the  com- 
munity, and  preached  for  the  church  for  some  time.  The  members 
became  widely  scattered,  and  since  a  rule  of  the  church  required 
that  two-thirds  of  the  members  must  be  present  to  form  a  quorum 
for  voting,  no  business  could  be  done,  and  the  church  died.  Dea. 
Samuel  Simmons  is  remembered  by  the  author  as  holding  the  Sunday- 
school,  and  keeping  together  what  remained  of  the  church,  until  he 
died. 

X 

White  River  Church   (1874) 

This  church  is  located  at  a  small  village  where  there  was  a 
post-office  of  that  name,  about  four  miles  southeast  of  Kent,  King 
County.  It  was  organized  with  twelve  members,  and  recognized  by 
a  council  of  churches  September  4,  1874,  Rev.  R.  Weston  being 
moderator  of  the  council,  and  Dea.  C.  Clymer,  clerk.  Brother 
Weston  was  chosen  pastor.  A  prayer  meeting  w^as  established;  and 
it  was  voted  that,  in  the  absence  of  the  pastor,  a  sermon  should  be 
read  at  the  regular  meetings.  In  February,  1875,  trustees  were 
elected,  and  active  preparations  begun  to  build  a  house  of  worship. 
Bro.  M.  W.  Cisco  was  an  important  agent  in  gathering  funds, 
and  received  a  vote  of  thanks  from  the  church.  The  house  was 
completed  and  dedicated  June  18,  1876,  Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth  preaching 
the  sermon.  In  September  of  the  same  year  Brother  Weston  resigned, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  W.  H.  Bradford,  whose  pastorate  con- 
tinued about  four  months  only.  In  March,  1877,  Rev.  P.  H.  Harper 
was  chosen  pastor.  A  mission  Sunday-school  was  started  about  five 
miles  away. 

In  1879  Rev.  J.  Wichser  became  pastor,  and  served  until 
August,  1882,  when  he  resigned  on  account  of  illness.  In  his  pastor- 
ate a  debt,  which  had  given  the  church  much  anxiety  and  many 
struggles,  was  paid  off;  the  sisters  had  a  flourishing  mission  circle, 
and  a  good  Sunday-school  was  always  kept  up.  In  December,  1882, 
Rev.  N.  B.  Homan  supplied  the  preaching.     In  June,   1883,  on  ac- 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  l6l 

count  of  removals,  the  church  was  reduced  to  seven  members,  and 
had  no  pastor;  and  yet  all  the  regular  meetings  of  the  church  kept 
up,  including  prayer  meetings  and  covenant  meetings.  In  1884  Rev. 
J.  T.  Huff  served  as  pastor,  preaching  on  alternate  Sundays.  The 
church  was  strengthened  during  his  ministry.  In  the  fall  of  1885 
he  resigned  and  went  to  California,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
G.  C.  Harris,  under  whom  the  envelope  system  was  adopted.  In 
January,  1887,  he  resigned  and  Rev.  J.  W.  Beaven  became  pastor. 
P'ather  Beaven  claimed  that  this  church  was  the  banner  church, 
in  proportion  to  its  ability  in  its  offerings  to  home  missions. 
Father  Beaven  was  stricken  with  paralysis  in  October,  1887,  and 
never  recovered  sufficiently  to  engage  in  active  work.  This  church 
was  a  constituent  member  of  the  Northwestern  Association.  The 
advent  of  the  railway  changed  the  business  center  of  this  locality 
to  Kent.  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  supplied  the  church  until  April,  1890, 
when  Rev.  G.  N.  Annes  took  up  the  work  in  connection  with  that  at 
Kent.  The  church  doubled  its  membership;  all  departments  of  work 
flourished ;  in  1891  the  house  was  repaired,  and  the  church  prospered, 
although  the  community  had  been  largely  Roman  Catholic  all  these 
years.  The  author  visited  this  church  in  1876  and  later,  and  it  was  a 
pleasure  to  witness  the  devoted  and  persistent  work  of  its  members. 
No  servant  of  God  ever  received  a  cool  reception  from  them,  no 
matter  on  what  mission  he  was  sent. 

The  year  1892  was  one  of  spiritual  growth  and  joy  under  the 
ministration  of  Rev.  Thomas  Baldwin  as  pastoral  supply.  The 
Sunday-school  and  the  young  people's  society  shared  in  the  uplift 
given  to  the  church.  Rev.  E.  G.  Hamlin  served  the  church  in  1893. 
The  author  has  no  further  data. 

XI 
Centralia  (Formerly  Centerville)  First  Baptist  Church  (1875) 

Its  location  is  in  Lewis  County,  on  the  Northern  Pacific  Rail- 
way. February  27,  1875,  thirteen  Baptists  met  in  the  schoolhouse. 
and  aided  by  Revs.  P.  H.  Harper,  J.  Casto,  and  R.  Weston,  organized 
what  is  now  known  as  the  Centralia  Church.  Brother  Harper  was 
called  as  pastor,  and  the  church  was  aided  in  his  support  by  the 
Home  Mission  Society,  the  church  pledging  for  the  first  year  $75, 
and  for  the  second  year  $200.  In  the  two  years  of  his  pastorate  five 
were  received  into  the  church  by  baptism,  seven  by  experience,  four 
by  letter,  and  two  were  removed  by  death.  In  April,  1875.  the 
church  had  voted  to  allow  Brother  Harper  to  receive  members  else- 
where, since  he  did  much  itinerant  mission  work. 

In  the  summer  of  1875  Bro.  George  Washington  and  his  wife, 
colored,  gave  the  church  two  acres  of  ground  for  a  cemetery,  and 
two  fine  lots  in  the  village  for  a  building  site ;  trustees  were  chosen. 
and   the   preliminary    steps    were    taken    to    build    a    meeting-house. 

L 


102       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

In  August,  1875,  the  church  came  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association; 
and  by  the  time  of  the  next  annual  meeting  of  the  Association,  in 
1876,  the  church  building  was  enclosed,  and  the  associational  meet- 
ings were  held  in  it. 

March  25,  1877,  Brother  Harper  submitted  his  resignation  as 
pastor;  but  the  church  kept  up  its  meetings  without  a  pastor  or 
preaching,  except  for  an  occasional  supply,  until  August  4,  1878,  at 
which  time  Rev.  W.  E.  M.  James,  a  missionary  of  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society,  began  his  labors  of  nearly  four  years 
with  the  church,  preaching  one  Sunday  in  each  month.  In  his 
pastorate  the  church  had  an  interesting  Sunday-school  and  a  well- 
attended  Bible  class;  three  were  added  to  the  church  by  baptism, 
two  by  experience,  two  by  letter;  four  were  dismissed  by  letter,  and 
five  excluded,  leaving  a  membership  of  twenty-two. 

In  March,  1883,  Mrs.  May  C.  Jones  became  pastor;  and  in  June 
the  meeting-house  was  mortgaged  for  $300  to  finish,  repair,  and  en- 
large it.  It  was  understood  that  the  Home  Mission  Society  would 
assist  the  Centralia  and  Chehalis  churches  in  supporting  a  pastor,  and 
,the  Centralia  Church  agreed  to  contribute  $50  to  the  Home  Mission 
fund  as  soon  as  the  appropriation  was  made ;  but  the  churches  em- 
ploying Mrs.  Jones  received  no  help.  In  June,  1884,  the  church 
reported  rich  experiences  and  several  conversions. 

On  November  9,  1884,  the  church  met  with  a  serious  loss  in  the 
death  of  Dea.  J.  L.  Jamieson.  He  was  born  in  North  Carolina,  in 
1813,  converted  in  1853,  crossed  the  plains  in  Oregon  in  1854,  and 
moved  to  Washington  about  1874.  He  was  one  of  the  first  movers  in 
organizing  the  Centerville  (now  Centralia)  Church,  and  one  of  its 
most  earnest  workers  and  most  steadfast  supporters. 

When  Sister  Jones  began  aer  labors,  the  circumstances  were 
unfavorable,  and  the  church  was  in  a  very  poor  spiritual  condition ;  but 
under  her  leadership  the  church  repaired  its  house  of  worship,  and 
as  the  result  of  two  years  of  earnest  and  faithful  labor,  twenty-nine 
members  were  added  to  the  church,  fifteen  of  them  by  baptism,  ten 
by  experience,  four  by  letter;  three  were  excluded  and  two  removed 
by  death,  leaving  a  membership  of  forty-eight.  The  church  main- 
tained a  flourishing  Sunday-school  under  Bro.  Byron  Kelsey  as 
superintendent,  and  also  a  mission  band. 

Many  of  the  members  were  poor,  and  many  were  widely  scattered, 
and  it  was  only  by  great  efforts  that  they  were  able  to  pay  the  salary 
of  the  pastor  ($200)  and  the  current  expenses.  In  August,  1886,  the 
church  borrowed  $300  from  the  Home  Mission  Society  to  pay  off  its 
debt.  The  church  was  growing  steadily,  and  its  relations  were  har- 
monious, but  it  was  crippled  by  its  debt  and  by  financial  pressure. 
In  September,  1887,  Mrs.  Jones  resigned  and  moved  to  Spokane 
Falls. 

In  January,  1888,  Rev.  C.  D.  Spencer  became  pastor,  and  the 
church  was  encouraged;  the  interest  in  the  prayer  meeting  and  in  the 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  163 

Sunday-school  increased;  and  thirty  had  been  added  to  the  member- 
ship by  the  time  that  the  Association  met.  In  May,  eleven  asked 
for  letters  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  another  Baptist  church. 

In  1889  Brother  Spencer  had  resigned;  but  the  church  was  much 
encouraged  by  the  prospect  of  the  building  of  Grace  Seminary,  and 
of  having  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven  as  pastor.  The  church  was  thriving, 
and  its  house  became  too  small.  In  1890  two  mission  stations  were 
established.  In  1891  the  church  procured  a  more  eligible  site  in 
another  part  of  the  town;  and  built  a  new  meeting-house  on  it,  cost- 
ing $7,600,  which  was  dedicated  on  October  25,  1891.  At  this  time, 
on  account  of  poor  health.  Brother  Beaven  was  compelled  to  resign. 

XII 

Centralia   (1891-1900) 

The  church  was  without  a  pastor  from  October  25,  1891,  to 
January  i,  1893,  when  Rev.  R.  McKillop  assumed  the  pastorate. 
Meanwhile  the  church  had  kept  all  its  forms  of  activity  increasing 
from  one  hundred  and  seventy-eight  to  two  hundred  and  one  mem- 
bers. It  is  especially  noticed  that  many  members  of  the  Sunday- 
school  had  found  the  Saviour;  the  town  now  numbered  about  three 
thousand,  and  was  building  up  rapidly.  Brother  McKillop's  pastorate 
began  with  a  series  of  revival  meetings,  in  which  he  was  assisted  by 
Rev.  J.  J.  Proper,  general  missionary,  and  Mr.  Brown,  an  evangelist 
of  note.  All  departments  of  church  work  were  vitally  helped. 
Brother  McKillop's  pastorate  continued  until  the  summer  of  1895, 
when  the  financial  depression  had  fallen  upon  the  churches  with 
discouraging  effect.  Loss  of  property  and  removals  with  necessary 
pruning  reduced  both  the  ability  and  numbers  of  members  until  often 
the  very  existence  of  the  churches  was  threatened,  as  in  the  case  of 
this  church.  Three  months  of  the  nine  of  the  year  1895,  in  which  he 
continued  his  services  at  Centralia,  the  church  had  allowed  him  to  be 
co-pastor  at  Chehalis  and  the  membership  had  decreased  to  one  hun- 
dred and  seven. 

In  1896  Rev.  C.  F.  Brownlee  was  called  to  the  pastorate  to 
succeed  Brother  McKillop.  Brother  Brownlee  came  from  the  North 
Church  of  Seattle.  The  work  revived  somewhat  under  the  new 
pastor,  and  the  membership  is  reported  in  1896  as  being  increased  to 
one  hundred  and  thirty-seven,  and  the  effect  of  the  financial  pressure, 
though  still  continuing,  was  not  so  depressing.  Centralia  and 
Rochester  were  combined  as  a  mission  field  in  1896.  Brother  Brown- 
lee was  still  pastor  in  June,  1899,  when  Centralia  Church  entertained 
the  Puget  Sound  Association.  The  membership  was  then  reported  at 
one  hundred  and  five,  with  general  conditions  hopeful.  Soon  after 
the  meeting  of  the  Association  Brother  Brownlee  resigned,  and  the 
church  was  pastorless  until  November,  when  Rev.  T.  S.  Fretz  was 
called  as  pastor.     In  February  and  March  the  work  was  much  re- 


164      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

tarded  by  the  city  being  under  quarantine,  but  at  the  meeting  of  the 
Association  in  June  all  lines  of  work  were  reported  as  hopeful,  and 
the  church  entered  the  twentieth  century  with  Brother  Fretz  as 
pastor,  with  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  members  and  conditions  im- 
proving. 

XIII 

Mountain  View  Church  (1877) 

It  is  located  in  Clark  County,  nearly  thirty  miles  northeast  of 
Vancouver,  Wash.  It  was  organized  by  Rev.  J.  J.  Clark,  November 
17,  1877,  and  was  also  known  as  the  Lewis  River  Church.  It  soon 
licensed  Bro.  P.  M.  Johnson  to  preach,  and  joined  the  Willamette 
Association,  Oregon,  in  1878.  Brother  Clark  was  still  pastor  in  1879, 
and  reported  a  new  and  helpful  interest  awakened  by  a  visit  of  Rev. 
J.  T.  Huff,  general  missionary  of  the  Convention.  In  1882  Rev.  S. 
Wilmot  moved  into  the  neighborhood,  and  rendered  much  aid  to 
Brother  Clark.  In  1887  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  D.  D.,  visited  the  field  and 
reorganized  the  scattered  forces  under  the  name  of  the  Mountain 
View  Baptist  Church,  and  Rev.  P.  H.  Harper  was  called  to  the  pas- 
torate. The  church  became  associated  with  the  Columbia  River  As- 
sociation in  1883.  Rev.  S.  B.  Chastain  held  the  pastorate  in  1890, 
and  the  church  was  consolidated  with  the  Mount  Zion  Church  in 
forming  the  New  Hope  Church.     (See  No.  132.) 

XIV 

BoisFORT  Church  (1879) 

This  church  is  located  about  fifteen  miles  west  of  Chehalis.  It 
was  organized  with  four  members  by  the  Rev.  W.  E.  M.  James, 
Sunday-school  missionary,  February  2,  1879.  Brother  James  supplied 
the  church  with  occasional  preaching  until  the  fall  of  1882.  The 
church  adopted  a  very  practical  and  wise  rule  for  those  early  times, 
which  might  be  wise  for  general  practice  in  later  days :  "  That  its 
deacons  must  serve  one  year  on  trial  before  being  ordained,  and 
then  serve  only  while  giving  satisfaction."  The  church  was  received 
into  the  Puget  Sound  and  British  Columbia  Association  in  1881. 
Three  members  had  been  received  and  one  had  died.  A  Sunday- 
school  of  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  members  was  maintained.  In  1885 
the  church  asked  that  an  evangelist  be  sent  them  occasionally,  since 
their  isolated  position  in  those  early  days  left  them  pastorless  much 
of  the  time,  with  only  occasional  supply.  In  June,  1886,  Rev.  M.  M. 
Lewis,  pastor  at  Winlock,  took  up  the  work  and  served  the  church  as 
pastor,  giving  it  one  or  two  services  each  month  until  April,  1887, 
when  he  resigned  and  went  East  to  complete  his  studies.  Bro. 
George  E.  Hardwick,  a  licentiate  lately  come  from  Kansas,  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  and  ordained  by  a  council  consisting  of  Revs. 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  165 

M.  M.  Lewis  and  L.  Philips,  and  deacons  of  the  Winlock,  Salkun, 
and  Boisfort  churches.  Brother  Hardwick  was  poor,  a  cripple,  his 
wife  was  blind,  and  yet  he  could  do  work  for  the  Lord  Jesus.  He  held 
the  pastorate  until  1889,  and  the  membership  increased  to  sixteen.  In 
1889  Rev.  C.  D.  Spencer  preached  to  the  church  once  a  month.  He 
was  followed,  in   1890,  by  Rev.  Isaiah  Phillips. 

No  more  data  are  available  until  1894,  when  the  church  reported 
no  pastor  and  but  four  meetings  the  year  previous.  At  one  time 
the  church  attained  a  membership  of  thirty.  There  was  no  further 
record  of  it  until  the  time  when  our  history  closes  in  1900. 

XV 

Skomockaway  Church    (1879) 

The  Skomockaway  Church  was  located  at  the  place  of  that  name, 
Washington  Territory.  It  was  organized  by  Rev.  W.  E.  M.  James 
with  six  members,  on  March  4,  1879.  He  writes  from  there,  on 
March  6,  that  the  Master  is  blessing  his  own  word  in  the  salvation  of 
souls,  and  that  he  had  baptized  four,  and  was  expecting  others  to 
unite  with  the  church  soon.  In  November,  1878,  Brother  James  made 
his  first  visit  to  this  country.     Of  this  first  visit  he  writes: 

I  came  by  steamer  to  Skomockaway.  Here  I  find  a  grand  field  for 
labor.  Every  valley  is  taken  up  by  settlers  from  all  parts  of  the  world — 
quite  a  number  of  Swedes.  I  organized  a  Sabbath-school  in  the  center 
valley.  Am  visiting  from  house  to  house  in  the  other  valleys ;  I  hope 
to  be  able  to  organize  a  Sabbath-school  in  each  of  them.  I  find  this  will 
be  the  only  way  to  reach  most  of  the  parents,  who  are  infidels  and  un- 
believers. 

I  would  be  glad  if  you  would  send  me  some  Swedish  tracts,  and 
some  for  the  unconverted  and  inquiring;  also,  some  pamphlets  and  Sab- 
bath-school hymn  books.  ,,,   ^    -r 

W.  E.  James. 

Brother  James  supplied  this  church  and  the  other  valleys  as  he 
had  opportunity  until  his  Sunday-school  work  called  him  to  another 
field.    There  is  no  record  of  the  church  having  joined  the  Association. 

XVI 

Hopewell    Baptist    Church    (1881) 

It  was  located  in  Skagit,  formerly  Whatcom  County,  about  six 
miles  from  LaConner.  It  was  organized  with  five  members,  at  the 
house  of  H.  B.  Peck,  by  Rev.  Geo.  Taylor  and  B.  N.  L.  Davis, 
May  20,  1881.  It  was  never  represented  in  any  .'Kssociation,  and  there 
are  no  records  found.  In  February,  1883,  for  the  purpose  of  securing 
greater  strength  and  efficiency,  the  church  disbanded,  and  the  mem- 
bers united  with  the  Baptist  church  at  LaConner. 


l66       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

XVII 

First  Baptist  Church  of  Skagit  City  (i88i) 

It  was  located  in  Skagit  City,  Skagit  County,  and  was  organized 
with  four  members  by  Rev.  W.  E.  N.  James,  October  2,  1881.  The 
next  day  a  man  eighty-one  years  old  was  baptized.  Rev.  B.  N.  L. 
Davis  was  chosen  pastor,  serving  the  church  much  of  the  time  twice 
a  month  for  four  years.  It  came  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association 
in  1882.  In  1883  it  built  a  meeting-house.  It  has  kept  up  a  good 
Sunday-school  from  the  first,  and  also  regular  services  most  of  the 
time,  whether  it  had  a  regular  pastor  or  not.  In  1886  it  was  imposed 
on  by  a  scoundrel  who  claimed  to  be  a  Baptist  minister,  and  his  dis- 
graceful conduct  injured  and  discouraged  it  to  some  extent.  Still, 
the  church  improved  its  meeting-house  $500  worth,  but  $200  was  bor- 
rowed from  the  A.  B.  H.  M.  Society.  In  1887  it  had  no  pastor  until 
fall,  when  Rev.  J.  G.  Pulliam  was  chosen,  and  gave  it  one-fourth  of 
his  time,  the  rest  of  his  time  being  put  in  at  LaConner,  about  ten 
miles  distant,  and  aid  was  given  by  the  H.  M.  Board.  The  church  felt 
weak  and  poor,  but  was  doing  all  it  could,  and  keeping  up  its  Sun- 
day-school and  other  work,  and  trusting  and  hoping  that,  by  the 
blessing  of  God,  it  would  see  glorious  results  in  due  time.  In  1889 
Rev.  W,  P.  Squires  was  preaching  for  it  occasionally,  and  the 
brethren  said  they  were  not  discouraged.  Rev.  S.  E.  Faxon  was 
pastor  of  the  church  in  1890.  In  1888  it  helped  to  organize  the  North- 
western Association.  No  report  was  made  in  1891.  The  railroad 
development  has  continued  farther  up  the  valley,  and  the  town  is  not 
growing,  but  the  house  remains,  a  monument  to  the  labors  and  gifts 
of  Rev.  B.  N.  L.  Davis,  who  for  many  years  traveled  from  this  point 
up  and  down  the  river  to  preach  the  gospel. 

XVIII 

LaConner  Bethesda   Church    (1882) 

The  Bethesda  Church  is  located  at  LaConner,  Skagit  County. 
Rev.  C.  H.  Mattoon,  in  his  manuscript  annals,  quotes  the  following 
account  of  its  origin  from  "  a  good  sister,"  probably  Mrs.  James 
Caches : 

When  we  came  here,  in  1878,  there  was  not  a  Christian  in  the  place. 
There  was  a  Sunday-school,  but  no  praying  in  it.  It  was  called  a  union 
school ;  but  a  union  of  what  I  do  not  know.  We  attended  it  the  first  Sun- 
day, and  when  we  came  home,  my  little  girl  said  :  "  Why,  mamma,  that 
was  no  Sunday-school ;  there  was  no  praying  in  it."  I  had  a  talk  with  the 
superintendent  and  teachers,  but  not  one  of  them  was  a  professor  of 
religion,  and  the  result  was  that  they  put  it  upon  me  to  open  the  school 
with  prayer,  and  our  school  was  always  opened  with  prayer  after  that. 

Later,  Bro.  W.  E.  M.  James,  our  Sunday-school  missionary,  came 
here,  held  a  few  meetings,  and  baptized  one.  There  were  no  churches  as 
jet.  Then  two  or  three  Baptists  and  a  few  other  professors  moved  into 
the  place,  or  into  the  near  vicinity.    Finally,  Rev.  G.  H.  Atkinson,  a  Con- 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  1 6/ 

gregationalist  minister,  came  here  and  persuaded  us  to  go  into  a  "  union 
church  for  the  time  being."  Bro.  B.  N.  L.  Davis,  living  over  on  the 
Skagit  River,  heard  of  this  and  came  down  to  inquire  what  it  meant. 
Not  liking  the  arrangement,  he  persuaded  the  Baptists  to  "  come  out  and 
be  a  separate  people."  This  we  did,  and  thus  we  commenced  the  Baptist 
church  of  LaConner;  and  we  have  prospered  ever  since,  and  are  still 
prospering. 

The  Bethesda  Church  was  organized  with  five  members,  March 
12,  1882,  by  Rev.  B.  N.  L.  Davis,  who  became  its  pastor.  The 
church  began  to  talk  about  building  in  May,  and  in  July  was  repre- 
sented in  the  Puget  Sound  Association,  and  was  reported  to  be  pros- 
perous and  courageous.  The  church  was  refreshed  by  a  visit  from 
Rev.  A.  J.  Hunsaker,  the  general  missionary,  in  1883,  and  its  mem- 
bership was  increased  by  the  addition  of  the  members  of  the  neigh- 
boring Hopewell  Church,  which  had  disbanded;  and  a  women's  mis- 
sion circle  of  ten  members  was  formed.  Lumber  was  secured,  and 
on  March  9,  1884,  the  building,  though  still  incomplete,  was  dedicated. 
A  thriving  Sunday-school  and  a  good  prayer  meeting  were  main- 
tained. The  church  continued  to  employ  Brother  Davis,  with  the 
assistance  of  the  Home  Mission  Society.  When  the  building  was  com- 
pleted, it  was  again  dedicated  on  December  5,  1886,  and  a  debt  of 
$700  was  provided  for. 

In  March,  1887,  Rev.  J.  G.  Pulliam.  of  Marion,  N.  C,  a 
graduate  of  Judson  College  and  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological 
Seminary,  of  Louisville,  Ky.,  was  chosen  pastor.  The  church  was 
aided  in  his  support  by  the  Home  Mission  Society.  Rev.  S.  W. 
Daniels,  of  Vancouver,  B.  C,  assisted  the  pastor  in  revival 
meetings  in  August.  Eleven  professed  conversion,  and  eight 
were  added  to  the  church.  It  was  agreed  to  permit  the  pastor  to 
preach  once  a  month  at  Skagit  City.  He  also  preached  once  a  month, 
on  Sunday  afternoon,  at  Padilla,  about  five  miles  north,  and  at 
Pleasant  Ridge,  about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  LaConner. 
Bethesda  Church  had  a  well-attended  prayer  meeting,  its  Sunday- 
school  averaged  fifty-five  present,  its  congregations  were  good,  and 
the  membership  was  constantly  increasing  from  the  immigration. 
In  April,  1886,  it  ordained  one  of  its  members,  Bro.  W.  G.  Jones,  to 
the  ministry.  The  council  consisted  of  Revs.  J.  P.  Ludlow,  A.  B. 
Banks,  and  J.  G.  Pulliam,  and  Brn.  J.  R.  Francis  and  R.  L.  Peck. 
Brother  Jones  was  a  graduate  of  Wake  Forest  College.  N.  C,  and  a 
young  man  of  promise.  Brother  Pulliam  resigned  in  September, 
1889,  to  go  to  a  position  in  Montana. 

In  1889  the  church  united  with  the  Northwestern  Association, 
and  in  October  Rev.  R.  T.  Gray  became  pastor  and  served  acceptably 
for  one  year.  Rev.  J.  E.  Coombs  succeeded  him  in  1890,  and  has 
received  great  blessings  from  the  Master's  hands.  One  of  the  finest 
parsonages  on  Puget  Sound  was  built  for  him  in  1891 :  and  with  the 
assistance  of  Rev.  Thomas  Baldwin  he  held  a  series  of  meetings  in 
which    more    than   eighty   persons    professed    conversion    and    thirty- 


l68       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    iSIORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

eight  united  with  the  church.  The  church  is  doing  a  grand  work,  is 
planting  colonies  in  the  surrounding  country,  and  has  become  self- 
sustaining. 

In  1892  the  church  reported  to  the  Northwestern  Association  that 
it  had  built  a  parsonage  at  a  cost  of  $1,600,  and  dedicated  it  free 
of  debt,  and  also  built  a  mission  costing  $1,500.  When  Rev.  W. 
T.  Fleenor  was  pastor,  in  October,  1893,  there  were  one  hundred  and 
fifty-four  members  in  the  church  and  one  hundred  and  sixty-four  in 
the  Sunday-school. 

The  next  year,  in  April,  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker  became  pastor,  and 
served  for  nearly  two  years,  preaching  his  farewell  sermon  January 
5,  1896,  when  he  had  large  audiences,  two  baptisms,  and  received  five 
members  into  the  church.  His  resignation  was  due  to  a  severe  illness, 
which  almost  prostrated  him,  and  made  him  realize  that  he  was 
physically  unable  to  carry  on  the  work  of  this  field,  including  not 
only  the  Bethesda  Church,  but  its  flourishing  branches  at  Ridgeway, 
Bay  View,  and  Fir.  A  member  of  his  flock  writes  of  his  "  highly 
successful  pastorate  "  to  the  Pacific  Baptist,  for  the  first  number  of 
1896,  as  follows: 

It  may  not  have  been  a  brilliant  record  in  the  way  of  new  additions 
to  the  church,  and  number  of  baptisms,  for  that  is  not  always  a  true 
index  or  criterion  of  a  successful  pastorate ;  but  from  a  spiritual  stand- 
point it  was  an  unqualified  success.  .  .  I  think  we  are  safe  in  saying  that 
the  church  is  in  a  better  spiritual  condition  to-day  than  any  time  for 
four  years  past.  Brother  Baker,  who  is  nearing  the  threescore-and-ten 
mark  on  life's  journey,  has  given  nearly  forty  years  of  this  time  to  God's 
service,  and  from  every  city  and  town,  and  from  every  flock  over  which 
he  has  presided,  come  only  encomiums  of  praise.  .  .  Who  can  estimate 
the  amount  of  good  that  has  been  accomplished  in  these  nearly  forty 
years  of  continual  ministerial  service,  the  seed  that  has  been  sown,  the 
thousand  or  more  converts  that  have  been  buried  in  the  baptismal 
waters,  the  members  that  have  been  spiritually  fed  and  nourished  as  the 
direct  and  indirect  result  of  his  labors?  May  God  in  his  infinite  wisdom 
send  us  another  pastor  who  is  so  thoroughly  imbued  with  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  as  is  Brother  Baker !  Mr.  Baker  will  carry  away  with  him  the 
love  and  esteem  of  this  church  and  community.  .  . 

In  February,  1896,  Rev.  S.  A.  Abbott  began  his  pastorate  at  La- 
Conner,  and  served  until  November,  1897.  He  stated  in  his  initial 
sermon  that  he  came  to  the  field  to  work  and  expected  the  co- 
operation of  the  church.  He  kept  his  word,  for  he  maintained  serv- 
ices both  at  LaConner  and  at  two  outstations,  and  in  the  first  ten 
months  preached  two  hundred  and  ten  sermons,  held  one  hundred  and 
ten  prayer  meetings,  baptized  seven,  had  nine  funerals  and  two  wed- 
dings, organized  one  church,  traveled  about  two  thousand  five  hundred 
miles,  and  held  a  series  of  special  meetings  in  which  deep  interest  was 
aroused,  besides  attending  to  various  other  duties  incident  to  a 
pastor's  life. 

The  church,  in  1896,  raised  about  $800,  of  which  about  one-fourth, 
or  nearly  $3.00  for  each  resident  member,  went  for  missions  and  be- 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  169 

nevolences.     The   interior   of   the   church   was   refitted   and   greatly 
beautified;  and  no  deficit  was  incurred. 

Bro.  F.  C.  Carter  writes  to  the  Pacific  Baptist  at  the  end  of 
the  year  1897,  as  follows: 

We  are  now  without  a  regular  pastor,  but  are  not  in  the  least  dis- 
couraged. Through  the  able  leadership  of  Bro.  S.  A.  Abbott,  the  past 
twenty-one  months,  the  church  is  in  a  splendid  spiritual  condition.  The 
congregations  are  large,  the  machinery  of  church  government  is  in  fine 
working  order,  and  the  prayer  meeting,  the  true  barometer  of  the  spiritual 
condition  of  a  church,  is  well  attended.  .  .  Although  Brother  Abbott's 
resignation  took  effect  the  first  Sunday  in  November,  the  pulpit  com- 
mittee secured  his  services  for  two  additional  Sundays,  November  14  and 
November  21.  Then  he  took  his  departure  with  his  estimable  family 
for  his  new  field  of  labor  at  New  Whatcom,  where  he  will  work  for  a 
time  at  his  old  trade  as  a  tinner  and  preach  on  Sundays  until  his 
nervous  system  regains  its  wonted  strength.  May  God's  richest  blessing 
follow  him  in  his  future  undertakings  is  the  earnest  wish  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Bethesda  Baptist  Church. 

On  February  26,  1898,  Rev.  C.  R.  Delepine,  of  Walla  Walla,  was 
elected  pastor,  and  occupied  the  pulpit  for  the  first  time  as  pastor 
on  March  6.  He  was  considered  an  able  expounder  of  the  gospel, 
and  very  spiritually  inclined.  He  was  assisted  in  revival  meetings 
by  General  Missionary  Randall  and  Brother  Parish,  a  sweet  gospel 
singer.  On  September  19,  1899,  the  following  statement  from  Brother 
Delepine  appeared : 

The  church  at  LaConner  not  being  able  to  agree  with  me,  nor  I 
with  it  on  the  question  of  discipline,  and,  moreover,  on  account  of  its 
having  asked  me  to  resign  by  an  evenly  divided  vote.  I  tendered  to  the 
church,  which  accepted  it,  my  resignation,  to  take  effect  on  October  15, 
of  this  year.  May  the  Lord  send  to  this  church  a  pastor  according  to 
his  own  heart,  who  will  be  able,  by  his  grace,  to  do  what  I  failed  to  do ! 

On  February  18,  1900,  Rev.  Harry  Fergu>on,  of  Portland,  Ore., 
was  unanimously  called  to  be  pastor  of  the  Bethesda  Church.  Brother 
Ferguson  accepted  the  call  and  began  work  on  March  11.  The 
church  had  not  become  disorganized  by  its  four  and  a  half  months  of 
waiting  for  a  pastor,  and  now  the  work  moved  forward  hopefully 
with  good  congregations. 

XIX 

Second  Seattle   (1882) 

It  was  located  on  Tefiferson  Street,  between  Ninth  and  Tenth 
Streets.  It  was  organized  with  eight  members  by  Rev.  R.  S. 
Greene,  October  8,  1882.  It  came  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association 
in  1883.  Revs.  J.  P.  Ludlow,  R.  S.  Greene,  and  Mrs.  May  C.  Jones 
preached  for  it  as  occasion  offered.  In  1884  it  reported  a  weekly 
prayer  meeting,  two  cottage  prayer  meetings,  a  flourishing  Sunday- 
school,  and  employed  two  missionaries  to  work  among  the  Indians 


I/O       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

for  two  months,  had  more  than  double  its  membership,  had  a  Wo- 
men's Home  and  Foreign  Mission  Circle,  and  a  band  of  field  workers. 
The  services  and  work  of  the  church  were  kept  up  regularly,  and  for 
the  next  two  or  three  years  it  had  a  steady  and  healthful  growth.  In 
October,  1887,  Rev.  Geo.  W.  Burnham,  from  East  Providence,  R.  I., 
came  to  Seattle  and  served  the  church  a  short  time.  In  1888  the 
church  hoped  to  build  that  fall.  It  had  previously  worshiped  in  a 
small  building  owned  by  Judge  Greene,  which  was  fitted  up  for 
chapel  purposes.  It  helped  to  organize  the  Northwestern  Associ- 
ation that  year,  and  the  outlook  was  encouraging.  The  church  dis- 
banded in  1890. 

XX 

New    Hope    Baptist    Church    (1882) 

It  was  located  on  the  Skagit  River,  about  twenty-five  miles  above 
Mount  Vernon.  It  was  organized  with  six  members  by  Revs.  B.  N. 
L.  Davis  and  A.  J.  Hunsaker,  December  23,  1882.  The  meetings 
were  continued  with  seven  baptisms.  A  prayer  meeting  and  a  Sun- 
day-school were  established.  The  church  came  into  the  Puget  Sound 
Association  in  1883.  Brother  Davis  served  the  church  about  a 
year  or  so  and  resigned;  it  has  had  no  pastor  since.  In  September, 
1885,  it  ordained  one  J.  N.  Brown  to  the  ministry,  but  he  proved  to 
be  an  impostor.  In  1888  it  wished  to  co-operate  with  some  other 
church  in  sustaining  a  pastor,  but  its  prospects  were  not  very  en- 
couraging.    No  later  reports. 

XXI 

First   Baptist   Church   of  Tacoma    (1883) 

It  is  located  on  the  corner  of  Ninth  and  D  Streets.  It  was 
organized  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Beaven  and  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  Superin- 
tendent of  Missions,  March  28,  1883,  with  ten  members.  New 
Tacoma,  as  it  was  then  called,  was  fast  growing  into  prominence  as 
the  terminus  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad.  The  Tacoma  Land 
Company,  controlling  the  city  site,  was  liberally  minded  toward  the 
churches,  requiring  certain  improvements  upon  lots  donated  for 
church  purposes.  In  1881  the  Puget  Sound  Association  directed  its 
officers  to  secure  lots  on  which  to  erect  a  Baptist  church  edifice,  the 
lots  to  be  held  in  trust  by  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific 
Coast  until  such  time  as  our  denomination  was  ready  to  build.  For 
prudential  reasons,  and  by  advice  of  the  corresponding  secretary  of 
the  Convention  Board,  the  matter  was  put  into  the  hands  of  Judge 
Greene,  who  secured  the  setting  apart  by  the  company  of  two  lots 
for  said  purpose,  located  on  the  corner  of  Ninth  and  D  Streets,  where 
the  first  church  edifice  now  stands.  When  the  church  was  ready  to 
build,  the  land  company  was  not  willing  to  give  a  deed  in  fee  simple, 


Rev.  Joseph  W.  Beaven 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  I7I 

desiring  to  put  a  clause  in  the  deed  that  it  should  revert  under  cer- 
tain conditions.  Finally,  through  the  diplomacy  of  Judge  Greene, 
the  company  agreed  to  give  a  clear  title  if  it  was  paid  $400  cash. 
Whether,  as  some  thought,  the  company's  agents  were  of  opinion  that 
that  amount  could  not  be  raised,  or  not,  some  of  our  own  people 
were  staggered  by  so  large  a  sum,  and  advised  giving  up  the  lots 
and  going  back  farther  where  lots  were  cheaper;  but  the  counsel  of 
Brother  Greene,  supported  by  that  of  the  Superintendent  of  Mis- 
sions, prevailed.  The  lots  were  held;  the  $400  paid;  and  the  church, 
receiving  the  deed,  took  measures  to  build  at  once. 

Rev.  Joseph  W.  Beaven,  who  had  been  sent  by  the  Convention 
Board  to  work  up  this  interest,  was  called  as  pastor.  A  Sunday- 
school  had  already  been  organized,  and  was  in  a  flourishing  condi- 
tion, with  eighty  in  attendance.  Good  congregations  were  in  at- 
tendance upon  church  service,  and  the  progress  of  the  building 
awakened  interest,  though  much  difficulty  was  met  in  raising  funds. 
The  Superintendent  of  Missions  was  a  frequent  visitor,  as  he  re- 
garded this  as  the  most  important  field  at  this  time  being  opened 
on  the  Northwest  Coast.  During  the  progress  of  the  work  a  time 
came  when  it  was  difficult  to  meet  maturing  obligations  on  the 
building,  and  a  proposition  gained  favor  in  the  church  to  sell  the  lot 
reserved  for  a  parsonage  and  use  the  proceeds  on  the  church  building. 
This  would  probably  have  been  done  but  for  the  strenuous  inter- 
ference of  the  Superintendent  of  Missions,  who  aided  in  relieving  the 
pressing  financial  strain,  and  at  the  time  of  dedication  raised  enough 
to  cover  the  cost.  The  furnishing  was  largely  provided  for  by  the 
ladies'  society  of  the  church. 

The  church  was  completed  and  dedicated  on  March  16,  1884, 
costing  $2,638.52,  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  loan- 
ing $500  from  its  Church  Edifice  Fund.  There  was  great  rejoicing 
and  songs  of  praise  when  the  final  announcement  was  made,  that  the 
house  was  given  to  the  service  of  God  without  debt. 

The  church  was  received  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in 
June,  1883,  with  Rev.  Joseph  W.  Beaven  as  pastor,  and  reporte<I  one 
baptism  and  fourteen  members.  Soon  after  the  dedication  of  the 
church,  Brother  Beaven  resigned  the  pastorate  and  accepted  a  call 
to  Moscow,  Idaho.  Rev.  B.  S.  MacLafferty,  then  pastor  at  Astoria, 
Ore.,  was  called  to  be  his  successor.  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  thus  speaks  of 
his  coming:  "Rev.  B.  S.  MacLafferty  opened  his  pastoral  work  May 
15,  1884,  and  at  once  took  a  prominent  position  in  the  town,  and 
gathered  a  growing  congregation  about  him."  At  the  meeting  of  the 
Association  in  June,  1884,  the  church  reported  twenty-eight  members, 
a  flourishing  Sunday-school,  a  Women's  Home  Mission  Society  most 
helpful  in  church  life,  as  well  as  in  the  more  general  home  mission 
work.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Association  held  in  June,  1885,  the 
church  was  refused  admission  to  the  Association.  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce 
was  acting  as  chairman  pro  tempore  when  the  action  of  the  .\ssoci- 


172       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

ation  refusing  admittance  was  taken.  Concerning  the  trouble  out  of 
which  this  grew,  Brother  Pierce  writes: 

It  grew  out  of  a  sermon  by  the  pastor  on,  "  The  Question  of  the 
Hour,"  about  the  time  of  the  inauguration  of  President  Cleveland,  March, 
1885,  in  which  he  made  some  statements  concerning  the  Democratic  policy 
from  the  standpoint  of  the  Civil  War.  The  members  of  Southern  senti- 
ments and  sympathy  objected  to  the  sermon,  and  others  joined  them.  It 
was  about  time  to  renew  the  application  of  the  church  for  the  necessary 
aid  to  sustain  the  pastor  for  another  year.  One  of  the  disaffected  mem- 
bers was  a  member  of  the  Executive  Committee,  which  had  charge  of 
recommending  aid  for  the  churches  in  the  Association.  He  voted  against 
the  appropriation  being  made,  and  it  was  deferred. 

Brother  Pierce  further  writes :  "  Through  the  efforts  of  Rev.  J.  C. 
Baker,  Superintendent  of  Missions,  a  formal  reconciliation  was 
affected,  and  an  agreement  made,  that  all  opposition  to  the  pastor 
should  cease."  This  agreement  was  not  kept,  and  the  disaffected 
party  sent  a  letter  and  an  opposing  delegation  to  the  Association, 
asking  the  Association  to  consider  their  grievances,  which  the  Asso- 
ciation did,  as  the  following  record,  copied  from  the  minutes,  shows: 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  presented  the  following  report,  which 
was  on  motion  adopted : 

REPORT    OF    COMMITTEE    ON     CREDENTIALS 

To  the  Puget  Sound  Baptist  Association:  We,  your  Committee  on 
Credentials,  hereby  further  report  that  we,  having  met  the  delegates  from 
the  Tacoma  Church  to  consider  the  validity  of  their  several  claims  to  sit 
in  council  at  this  Association,  find  that  one  letter  comes  as  the  letter 
of  the  church,  naming  its  delegates  and  signed  by  the  church  clerk  and 
moderator,  in  which  there  is  no  mention  made  of  any  difficulty  existing 
in  their  body.  The  other  comes  signed  by  a  number  of  persons  claiming 
to  be  members  of  the  Tacoma  Church,  and  stating  that  there  is  a 
difficulty  existing  in  their  body,  and  asking  the  Association  to  consider 
their  grievances.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  first  letter  does  not  make 
any  mention  of  any  dissensions  or  trouble  in  the  church ;  whereas  a 
letter  signed  by  fifteen  persons,  claiming  to  be  members  of  that  church, 
states  their  grievances,  and  that  there  is  dissatisfaction  in  the  church, 
and  that  there  was  irregularity  in  the  church  meeting  which  wovild  not 
legally  entitle  any  of  the  delegates  to  seats  in  this  Association,  your  com- 
mittee not  feeling  willing  to  decide  so  grave  a  question,  would  respectfully 
recommend  that  the  whole  consideration  of  the  subject-matter  of  this 
report  be  decided  by  the  action  of  this  body. 

D.   ROUDEBUSH, 

N.  Hayland, 
■    M.   J.    Meeker, 

Committee. 

A  motion  was  then  presented  by  Rev.  Walter  Barss  that  neither 
of  the  letters  from  the  Tacoma  Church  be  received  by  this  Associ- 
ation. Brother  MacLafferty  asked  permission  to  discuss  the  adoption 
of  this  motion,  which  request  was,  on  motion,  granted.  Brother 
Goble  was  also  granted  permission  to  speak  upon  the  motion. 

After  general  discussion  the  motion  was  carried. 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  1 73 

Before  the  Association  adjourned,  further  action  was  taken,  as 
follows,  copied  from  the  minutes: 

Brother  Pierce  presented  the  following  set  of  resolutions  regarding 
the  Tacoma  Church,  which  the  Association  voted  to  adopt  without  de- 
bate, and  adopted  unanimously : 

Resolved,  That  with  deep  and  unfeigned  regret  we  deplore  the 
troubles  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Tacoma  which  have  so  far  prevented 
that  church  from  being  represented  in  this  Association. 

Resolved,  That  we  affectionatelj'  request  the  two  sets  of  persons 
claiming  to  be  members  of  said  church,  to  call  a  mutual  council  of 
neighboring  churches  in  the  month  of  July,  if  possible,  to  secure  an 
amicable  settlement  of  their  difficulties. 

Resolved,  That  this  Association  in  its  earnest  desire  for  the  perfect 
independence  of  the  churches,  and  for  the  welfare  of  all  concerned,  is 
ready  to  receive  any  delegation  of  unquestioned  members  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  Tacoma  which  may  be  agreed  upon  by  the  unquestioned 
members  of  the  two  delegations  presenting  themselves  to  this  body,  and 

Whereas,  Grave  and  troublesome  statements  are  made  and  damaging 
reports  are  publicly  circulated  in  the  country  representing  that  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  Tacoma  has  departed  from  the  common  Baptist 
usage  in  its  methods  of  transacting  business  and  administering  discipline, 
which,  if  true,  render  all  subsequent  acts  of  the  church  null  and  void, 
and  destroy  its  character  as  a  Baptist  church,  and  question  its  right  to 
the  fellowship  of  this  Association  as  a  properly  constituted  Baptist 
church.     Therefore  be  it, 

Resolved.  That  this  Association  appoint  a  committee  of  five,  from 
five  churches  nearest  to  Tacoma ;  such  members  to  be  nominated  by  the 
delegates  of  said  churches  and  confirmed  by  vote  of  the  Association,  who 
shall  inquire  into  the  truth  of  such  statements  and  report  at  our  next 
annual  meeting,  with  power  to  formulate  charges  if  necessary,  and 
present  them  to  the  proper  officers  of  said  church,  citing  the  churches 
to  answer  said  charges  at  our  next  annual  meeting. 

Resolved,  That  the  committee  be  requested  to  attend  any  council 
which  may  be  held,  simply  for  inquiry  and  information,  but  having  no 
vote  or  voice  in  said  council,  except  as  questions  may  be  asked  for 
information. 

The  following  persons  were  then  selected  in  accordance  with  the 
resolution  already  adopted,  and  were  confirmed  by  the  Association  as 
its  committee  on  Tacoma  Church : 

Centralia,  Byron  Kelsey ;  alternate,  E.  R.  Butterworth. 
Olympia,  Rev.  F.  Campbell ;  alternate,  B.  W.  Johns. 
First  Seattle,  Wm.  M.  Morse;  alternate,  C.  E.  Adams. 
Second  Seattle,  C.  L.  Mitchell;  alternate,  Jas.  Freed. 
Puyallup,  W.  S.  Freed;  alternate,  A.  W.  Jones. 
^  Voted   that   this   committee   be    furnished    with   a   copy   of   the    reso- 
lutions concerning  the  Tacoma  Church. 

Following  this  action,  and  fearing  a  long-drawn-out  trouble 
and  injury  to  home  mission  work.  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  Superintendent 
of  Missions,  called  together  a  number  of  the  most  prominent  ministers 


1/4       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

from  Oregon,  Washington,  and  British  Columbia  to  examine  the  whole 
matter,  under  agreement  with  both  Brother  MacLafferty  and  the  offi- 
cials of  the  church,  that  all  desired  information  should  be  given  the 
brethren  when  convened,  including  church  records  and  correspondence, 
and  that  the  aggrieved  parties  should  have  liberty  and  time  given 
before  the  council  and  under  its  direction,  to  state  their  grievances 
at  length.  The  council,  which  was  in  no  sense  ex  parte,  consisting 
of  Rev.  A.  J.  Hunsaker,  financial  agent  for  McMinnville  College; 
Rev.  G.  J.  Burchett,  for  years  president  of  McMinnville  College, 
now  pastor  at  East  Portland;  Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg,  pastor  at  Salem, 
Ore.;  Rev.  C.  A.  Wooddy,  pastor  at  Pendleton,  Ore.;  Rev.  J.  A. 
Wirth,  of  Seattle,  Wash. ;  Rev.  Robert  Lennie,  of  New  Westminster, 
B.  C;  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  Superintendent  of  Missions  for  the  Pacific 
Coast,  being  present. 

These  brethren  spent  two  days  in  their  examination  of  the  case, 
listening  patiently  to  all  parties.  Brother  MacLafferty  and  the 
church  furnished  them  with  every  facility  for  a  Christian  and 
judicial  consideration  of  its  merits.  The  aggrieved  parties  were 
asked  and  permitted  to  come  before  the  council,  which  they  did,  and 
both  stated  and  argued  their  case.  One  whole  evening  was  spent 
over  a  summary  of  their  case  written  for  the  occasion  covering  the 
whole  case  from  their  point  of  view.  The  committee  appointed  by  the 
Association  to  look  after  and  be  present  at  any  council  called  on  the 
case  was  not  invited  to  be  present,  though  they  were  in  the  city. 
The  brethren  of  the  council  thought  they  were  not  called  together  to 
examine  associational  grievances,  or  to  be  examined  by  as^ociational 
committees.  As  one  put  it,  that  whole  thing  was  as  uncalled  for  as 
it  was  unbaptistic.  The  finding  of  the  council  was  as  follows: 
"That  the  action  of  the  First  Baptist" Church  of  Tacoma  in  matters 
examined  by  us  was  not  unscriptural,  nor  out  of  harmony  with 
Baptist  usage."  To  this  each  member  of  the  council  affixed  his 
signature. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Association  in  Victoria,  B.  C,  in  1886, 
the  Associational  Committee  was  present  with  its  charges  against  the 
Tacoma  Church  and  its  pastor,  as  instructed  the  previous  year.  The 
report  was  presented  and  read  by  the  clerk.  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  and 
received  by  the  body.  Rev.  Walter  Barss  moved,  "  That  we  hear 
the  communication  from  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Tacoma,"  which 
was  carried,  and  the  communication  read.  The  constitution  prohibit- 
ing action  upon  charges  against  a  church  at  the  same  session  at 
which  they  were  preferred.  Rev.  Walter  Barss  moved  that  the  ques- 
tion be  indefinitely  postponed,  which  was  carried.  Following  this. 
Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  offered  a  resolution  concerning  the  present  standing 
of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Tacoma,  which  drew  out  a  discussion, 
and  was  "  finally  made  the  special  order  of  business,  with  closed 
doors,"  later  in  the  session.  When  it  was  called  up,  Rev.  R.  S.  Greene 
offered  the  following  as  a  substitute  to  Brother  Pierce's  resolution: 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  I75 

Resolved,  That  it  is  the  sense  of  this  Association  that  the  act  of  the 
Association  at  the  last  associational  meeting  in  excluding  the  delegation 
from  the  Tacoma  Church  upon  the  letter  tendered  by  that  church, 
was  an  inconsiderate  and  mistaken  action,  and  that  the  delegation  should 
have  been  received. 

The  substitute  was  adopted. 

In  1887  the  Association  met  at  LaConner.  The  Tacoma  Church 
was  represented  by  letter  and  delegates.  On  the  ballot  for  moderator. 
Rev.  B.  S.  MacLafferty  received  a  majority  of  votes,  and  by  motion 
of  Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow  the  vote  was  made  unanimous.  The  church 
reported  the  number  of  members  last  year,  thirty-eight;  baptized, 
nine;  received  by  letter,  twenty-one;  dismissed,  six;  present  number, 
sixty-four.  Meantime  they  had  built  a  parsonage  costing  $1,500;  paid 
church  expenses,  $1,113;  P^'^  to  foreign  missions,  $2y,  home  missions, 
$35;  to  the  Publication  Society,  $7.50.  They  report  a  prayer  meeting 
of  deep  interest,  with  an  average  attendance  of  seventy-eight  per  cent 
of  their  members,  most  of  whom  took  part  in  the  meetings.  They  also 
report  a  flourishing  Sunday-school,  Young  People's  Society  of  Chris- 
tian Endeavor,  Ladies'  Mission  Societ)-,  and  all  departments  of 
church  work  in  a  prosperous  condition. 

In  the  fall  of  this  year,  October  16,  Brother  MacLafferty  met 
with  an  accident  that  paralyzed  his  lower  limbs  for  life.  It  occurred 
by  his  falling  from  an  embankment  twenty  feet  high,  where  a  street 
was  being  graded,  but  left  without  light  to  signal  danger  to  the 
pedestrian  in  the  darkness.  The  church  was  overwhelmed  with  sor- 
row, and  expressed  it  in  resolutions  of  condolence  and  acts  of  love. 
At  the  meeting  of  the  Association  held  at  Tacoma  the  following  year, 
the  following  preamble  and  resolution  of  condolence  were  adopted, 
being  offered  by  Rev.  R.  S.  Greene: 

Whereas,  In  the  strange  providence  of  God,  sudden  and  most  touch- 
ing physical  prostration  and  disability  has  befallen  our  moderator  of 
last  year,  late  the  pastor  of  the  church  with  which  we  are  met,  our 
brother  in  Christ,  B.  S.  MacLafferty,  and. 

Whereas,  The  stroke  has  fallen  not  upon  himself  alone,  but  upon 
his  loving  wife  and  children,  upon  this  community  where  his  ex- 
traordinary capacity  and  acquirements  had  made  him  widely  felt  and 
honored,  upon  this  Association  and  the  whole  church  of  God,  with  which 
he  has  long  been  a  fellow-laborer  in  the  gospel,  upon  the  foreign  mission 
cause,  which  he  has  greatly  loved  and  to  which  he  has  given  his  best 
thought  and  endeavor,  and  upon  mankind,  among  whom  he  has  for 
many  years  moved  conspicuous  as  Christ's  ambassador,  therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  we,  the  Puget  Sound  Baptist  Association,  take  this 
mode  of  expressing  our  deep  grief  at  what  has  thus  come  to  pass,  our  pro- 
found sympathy  with  him  and  his  family  in  their  immeasurable  affliction, 
our  great  sorrow  at  the  loss  this  community,  our  Association,  the  church 
at  large,  the  cause  of  foreign  missions,  and  his  fellow-men  have  sus- 
tained, and  our  fervent  appeal  to  all  who  pray  to  unite  with  us  in  ask- 
ing the  God  of  all  comfort,  Jehovah  the  provider,  Jehovah  the  healer, 
who  brings  light  out  of  darkness;  life  out  of  death,  and  good  out  of  evil, 
that  he   will  comfort,  provide,  heal,  and   turn  this  evil  to  blessing,  this 


1/6      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

mourning  to  gladness,  in  his  infinite  pity,  according  to  the  multitude  of 
his  everlasting  mercies  and  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  loving-kindness,  in 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. 

After  which  the  annual  sermon  on  foreign  missions  was  read  by 
Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow,  the  same  having  been  prepared  by  Rev.  B.  S. 
MacLafferty.  At  its  close  the  following  resolution  was  offered  and 
adopted : 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  this  body  be  tendered  to  Brother  Mac- 
Lafiferty  for  the  impressive  foreign  mission  sermon,  to  which  we  have 
just  listened. 

In  consequence  of  this  sad  disability,  Brother  MacLafferty  found 
it  necessary  to  resign  the  pastorate.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  B. 
Banks,  D.  D.,  who  was  installed  pastor  May  3,  1888.  In  the  summer 
the  well-known  evangelist,  Rev.  George  Robert  Cairns,  held  a  meeting 
with  the  church,  which  resulted  in  large  additions  and  substantial 
strength  for  the  church.  The  report  of  1889  shows  twenty-five  bap- 
tisms, eighty-three  received  by  letter,  ten  by  experience,  and  three 
restored,  with  eleven  diminutions,  leaving"  a  net  gain  of  one  hundred 
and  ten  members.  The  church  expenses  were  $3,858.86.  Paid  for 
home  missions,  $83.54;  foreign  missions,  $193.30;  other  purposes, 
$505.  Total,  $4,640.70.  Of  this  amount,  $2,816  was  paid  for  improve- 
ments on  property.  All  the  subsidiary  societies  of  the  church  were 
commended  for  their  activity  and  helpfulness.  In  October  of  this 
year  twenty-seven  members  were  dismissed  to  organize  the  Wright 
Avenue  Church.  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  D.  D.,  was  the  representative  of 
the  Puget  Sound  Association  at  the  May  Anniversaries  held  in  Bos- 
ton. On  May  16,  1890,  eight  members  were  dismissed  to  aid  in  or- 
ganizing the  church  at  Fernhill.  The  year  seems  to  be  one  of  activity 
and  prosperity.  On  May  i,  1891,  Brother  Banks  resigned  the  pastor- 
ate. On  reporting  to  the  Association  in  June  the  church  had  two 
hundred  and  eighty-five  members,  and  all  departments  of  its  work 
were  in  a  hopeful  condition. 

The  church  was  supplied  by  various  persons  until  September, 
1891,  when  Rev.  W.  F.  Harper  was  installed  as  pastor.  This 
ceremony  began  one  of  the  most  prosperous  pastorates  of  the  church. 
It  was  soon  found  that  the  capacity  of  the  building  must  be  increased. 
From  September,  1891,  to  June,  1892,  one  hundred  and  thirty-two 
persons  were  added  to  the  membership.  Plans  were  laid,  and  the 
erection  of  a  commodious  house  was  begun  on  the  old  site.  The 
prosperity  of  the  church  was  even  greater  in  1893  than  in  1892,  and 
the  following  summary  of  the  progress  made  was  given  by  a  com- 
mittee of  the  church : 

Tacoma  First,  W.  F.  Harper,  pastor.  We  are  glad  to  be  able  to 
report  that  the  last  associational  year  has  been  one  of  great  prosperity. 

Under  the  leadership  and  direction  of  our  pastor,  and  by  the  favor 
and  blessing  of  God,  this  church  has  moved  steadily  forward  during  the 
past  year  in  every  department  of  church  work. 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  1 7/ 

As  a  result  of  our  united  efforts  and  faith  in  God,  we  have  been  able 
to  complete  a  beautiful  house  of  worship,  with  all  modern  conveniences,  at 
a  cost  with  furnishing  of  $9,200,  all  of  which  has  been  provided  for. 

On  the  first  Sunday  in  Januarj',  immediately  after  the  dedication  of 
our  church.  Brother  Brown,  the  evangelist,  began  a  series  of  meetings 
lasting  three  weeks.  He  came  filled  with  the  spirit  of  the  Master,  and 
his  labor  among  us  was  owned  and  blessed  in  a  remarkable  manner  in  the 
conversion  of  many  souls. 

One  hundred  and  forty-one  have  been  added  to  our  membership  dur- 
ing the  year,  sixty-eight  of  these  by  baptism. 

The  home  and  foreign  missionary  societies  have  done  efficient  work 
during  the  year. 

The  Ladies'  Aid  Society  has  rendered  great  financial  aid,  having 
expended  during  the  year  $1,300.  The  Young  People's  Baptist  Union  is 
in  a  very  flourishing  condition,  having  a  membership  of  eighty.  A 
Junior  Society  of  Christian  workers  was  organized  during  the  year,  and 
now  has  a  membership  of  thirty.  Our  Sabbath-school  was  never  in  a 
more  prosperous  state  than  now,  and  the  interest  exhibited  by  every  one 
in  the  work  of  the  Sabbath-school  was  never  more  manifest. 

The  work  in  connection  with  our  three  mission  schools  is  also  very 
encouraging. 

The  church  has  raised  and  expended  during  the  year  for  all  purposes 
$15,695.52. 

We  pray  God's  richest  blessing  may  rest  upon  every  church  of  the 
Association,  and  that  we  may  always  be  found  faithful  and  loyal  and 
united  in  the  work  of  the  Master,  and  that  every  church  in  the  Association 
may  be  a  religious  center  from  which  shall  be  constantly  flowing  the 
gospel  message  of  salvation  until  this  world  shall  be  won  for  our  Lord 
and  his  Christ. 

J.  W.  Watkins, 
J.  M.  Walker, 
Geo.    W.    Fowler, 

Committee. 

Great  was  the  sorrow  of  the  church  when  Brother  Harper  was 
obliged  to  leave  this  climate  by  the  state  of  his  family's  health,  and 
resigned  the  pastorate  to  go  to  southern  California.  He  was  quite  as 
much  missed  in  the  Convention  of  which  he  was  president,  being 
also  president  of  the  Mission  Board,  a  member  of  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee, and  a  member  of  the  Board  of  the  North  Pacific  University. 
The  loss  of  such  a  man  to  the  cause  of  Christ  in  any  State  or  com- 
munity, while  not  irreparable,  leaves,  nevertheless,  a  vacancy  hard 
to  fill. 

God's  favor  to  this  church  is  clearly  shown  in  its  report  to  the 
Association  in   1894,  from  which  we  quote: 

Tacoma  First.  Pastor,  Wm.  H.  Pendleton,  D.  D.  The  closing  year 
has  been  an  eventful  one  with  us.  Circumstances  over  which  we  had  no 
control  deprived  us  of  our  beloved  pastor.  Rev.  W.  F.  Harper,  and  this 
Association  of  a  most  active  member  and  officer.  But  in  the  providence  of 
Him  who  doeth  all  things  well,  we  now  rejoice  in  a  new-found  treas- 
ure, and  are  permitted  to  introduce  to  you  our  beloved  pastor.  Rev.  Wm. 
H.  Pendleton,  D.  D.  Since  Doctor  Pendleton's  coming  we  have  ex- 
perienced another  blessed  revival,  during  which  sixteen  were  received  by 
baptism,  two  by  letter,  and  two  by  experience.     Our  praj-er  meetings  are 

M 


178       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

full  of  interest,  and  our  Sunday-school  in  a  prosperous  condition.  The 
Huntly  Chapel  Mission  School  occupies  an  important  field,  and  is  doing 
excellent  work.  Wright  Avenue  Mission  is  doing  good  work.  The  ladies 
in  their  aid  society  and  mission  societies  have  been  very  active  and  faithful 
in  their  work.  The  B.  Y.  P.  U.  has  a  promising  mission  among  the 
Japanese  of  the  city,  and  is  also  working  in  the  seamens'  Bethel  work. 
We  pray  the  richest  blessings  upon  the  churches  and  delegates  representing 
them.  Death  has  removed  from  our  midst  Bro.  Myron  Ward  and  Sister 
Minnie  G.  Lott. 

Doctor  Pendleton  began  his  pastorate  with  four  hundred  and 
thirty  members,  well  organized  and  active  in  all  departments  of  work ; 
but  since  he  resigned,  on  May  i,  1895,  his  pastorate  was  too  short  to 
make  his  personal  influence  or  teaching  produce  a  very  marked 
effect  upon  so  large  a  membership,  though  the  good  will  and  hearty 
Godspeed  of  the  church  went  with  him. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  N,  H.  Harriman,  of  Springfield,  Mass., 
sent,  as  the  church  believed,  in  answer  to  prayer;  and  the  first 
report  given  of  him  by  the  church  is  just  as  hopeful  as  its  report  of 
any  of  his  predecessors.  He  began  his  work  in  1895  under  most 
favorable  circumstances,  and  seemed  to  the  church  as  a  body  an  ideal 
pastor.  In  all  the  accessible  records  there  is  found  no  word  but  of 
high  appreciation  and  of  Christian  confidence  and  love.  He  was 
reported  as  tender,  loving,  and  scriptural  in  his  preaching,  and  often 
as  spiritually  eloquent.  His  methods,  especially  those  of  conducting 
revival  services,  instructing  inquirers,  and  guiding  converts,  were 
highly  commended  by  leading  members  and  by  other  pastors.  No 
one  could  say  that  he  was  not  a  man  of  deep  piety  and  personal 
consecration  of  a  high  order.  The  church  was  congratulated  upon 
obtaining  a  treasure  of  such  value,  a  pastor  so  wise  and  so  competent 
in  his  leadership.  The  church  was  growing  in  numbers  and  de- 
veloping in  the  graces  of  the  Spirit.  He  was  thought  by  many  to  be 
a  man  of  the  type  of  Dr.  A.  J.  Gordon.  The  church  loved  him 
as  much  as  any  of  his  predecessors.  His  first  year  of  service  seemed 
to  justify  all  these  expectations  and  high  hopes  for  the  future. 
Converts  were  multiplied,  and  the  work  in  all  departments  of  the 
church  was  progressing  satisfactorily.  H  a  fall  from  this  high 
pinnacle  of  Christian  fellowship  and  Christlike  activity  should 
occur,  it  would  test  the  strength  and  unity  of  this  grand  old  First 
Church  of  Tacoma  beyond  human  endurance  and  try  the  faith  of  its 
members  until  divine  help  alone  could  hold  them  to  the  faith  as  it  is  in 
Christ  Jesus.  But  come  it  did,  and  the  old  church  was  swayed  to 
and  fro  like  a  giant  oak  in  a  storm;  but  its  roots  had  taken  such 
fast  hold  on  the  Rock  of  Ages  that  it  could  not  be  uprooted.  The 
foundation  laid  by  its  first  and  second  pastors,  and  built  upon  by  the 
succeeding  pastors,  was  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets, 
Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  corner-stone;  and  no  weapon 
formed  against  it  by  the  adversary  could  prosper.  Even  the  life  and 
preaching  of  Brother  Harriman  himself,  in  the  earlier  part  of  his 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  1 79 

pastorate,  had  strengthened  the  bonds  of  unity  and  fidelity  in  the 
church. 

The  historian  would  shrink  from  explaining  the  cause  of  the 
calamity  that  now  befell  the  church  and  denomination,  save  for  the 
fact  that  he  is  writing  history.  From  our  first  knowledge  of  Brother 
Harriman,  we  loved  him;  but  at  the  same  time  felt  sure  that  he  was 
approaching  the  danger  line  in  his  interpretation  of  his  personal 
experience.  He  impressed  our  minds  as  being  in  danger  of  exagger- 
ating the  Scripture  doctrine  of  holiness  and  his  own  spiritual  at- 
tainments in  holiness  and  in  power  to  work  the  miraculous  in 
Christ's  stead.  If  he  could  only  maintain  the  unity  of  .Scriptiire 
teaching,  with  such  a  remarkable  experience  as  had  evidently  been 
given  him,  it  seemed  that  he  would  become  a  wonderfully  successful 
minister  of  the  grace  of  God  to  lost  and  perishing  men,  and  that  he 
would  upbuild  the  church  of  Jesus  Christ.  On  the  other  hand,  if  he 
lost  the  Scripture  balance  and  elevated  the  doctrine  of  holiness  out 
of  relation  to  other  Scripture  doctrines,  and  assumed  a  personal  holi- 
ness and  a  personal  revelation  from  the  Spirit,  he  would  at  length 
destroy  his  ow-n  usefulness  and  cause  great  calamity  to  his  church 
and  loss  to  the  cause  of  our  blessed  Master.  It  was  with  no  spirit  of 
antipathy  or  criticism  that  I  saw  this  man  of  God,  in  pursuit  of  his 
theories,  dropping  one  after  another  of  the  fundamental  doctrines  of 
the  church,  and  finally  discarding  the  church  of  Christ  altogether, 
and  going  off  with  a  small  following  to  organize  them  into  an 
"  ecclesia  mission,"  and  start  them  off  on  the  highway  to  ruin,  as  it 
proved  to  some.  One  can  have  only  commiseration  for  the  man  who 
causes  such  a  calamity,  and  sorrow  of  heart  for  the  church  and  the 
cause  of  Christ,  where  such  a  calamity  occurs. 

In  this  case,  however,  thanks  be  to  God,  the  church,  though 
shaken,  did  not  fall  into  the  pit  the  adversary  opened.  On  the  con- 
trary, it  rose  up  in  the  strength  of  Israel's  God ;  and,  in  the  spirit 
of  forbearance  and  love,  met  its  enemies  and  vanquished  them.  Rev. 
D.  D.  Proper,  our  general  missionary  at  the  time,  under  the  date  of 
February  i8,  1897,  summarizes  the  statements  made  and  the  condi- 
tions prevailing,  as  follows: 

First  Baptist  Church,  Tacoma.  Finally  the  separation  has  come  about 
between  Pastor  Harriman  and  the  church  in  Tacoma,  by  the  adoption  of  a 
set  of  ringing  resolutions  last  Monday  evening,  February  8,  1897. 

On  January  31,  the  resolutions  affirm.  Pastor  Harriman  tendered  his 
resignation,  to  take  effect  as  soon  as  the  "  church  should  take  action 
thereon ;  which  resignation  was  accompanied  by  a  statement  which  is  not  a 
correct  statement  of  the  differences  between  pastor  and  people,  and 
contains  some  erroneous  and  misleading  accusations  and  insinuations 
against  the  church."  The  reasons,  as  set  forth  in  the  resolutions,  for 
accepting  the  resignation  are  that  "between  January  17  and  January  24, 
1897,  Mr.  Harriman  preached  certain  doctrines  not  in  accord  with  those 
held  by  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Tacoma,  and  quite  different  from 
those  heretofore  preached  by  him,  and  did  permit  and  encourage  scenes 
to  be  enacted  in  our  church  which  brought  our  church  and  the  religion  of 


l80      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Jesus  Christ  into  ridicule  and  disrepute.  On  two  evenings  at  least,  at 
public  services  of  the  church,  he  requested  such  of  our  members  present 
as  would  not  participate  in  such  scenes  to  leave  the  church,  which  request, 
although  said  members  did  not  in  any  way  interfere  with  the  meetings, 
was  finally  put  in  the  form  of  a  command.  On  the  evening  of  January 
22,  1897,  Mr.  Harriman,  without  good  cause,  publicly  declared  that  he 
would  not  again  hold  services  in  our  church  till  the  demons  were  cast 
out  of  the  members  of  his  congregation.  On  that  and  on  other  occasions 
he  has  accused  some  of  our  most  spiritual  members  of  demoniacal  pos- 
session. Mr.  Harriman  has  neglected  and  refused  to  perform  his  duties 
as  pastor  of  this  church,  and  has  continuously  absented  himself  from  all 
of  its  services  except  on  two  occasions,  when  he  interrupted  the  service 
of  the  church  in  order  to  read  statements  calculated  to  sow  seeds  of 
discord  and  dissension  among  our  membership ;  and  has,  beginning  with 
January  25,  and  continuing  up  to  the  present  time,  held  daily  public  meet- 
ings in  a  room  within  three  blocks  of  the  church,  thus  gathering  to  him- 
self another  body  of  believers,  and  by  so  doing  has  arrayed  himself  in 
opposition  to  this  church  and  its  regular  services,  including  its  covenant 
meetings  and  the  Lord's  Supper." 

One  of  the  leading  members  of  the  church,  an  honored  officer  of 
long  standing,  voiced  its  Christlike  spirit  when  he  wrote: 

During  the  past  few  weeks  the  First  Church  of  Tacoma,  Wash.,  has 
been  quite  extensively  advertised.  While  the  secular  press  has,  for  the 
most  part,  stated  matters  in  a  fairly  correct  manner,  yet  I  fancy  that  an 
outsider  is  very  apt  to  have  a  wrong  impression  of  conditions  existing 
between  Mr.  Harriman  and  the  church.  I  do  not  deem  this  a  proper  place 
to  enter  into  a  discussion  of  differences  that  existed  between  pastor  and 
church.  It  may  be  stated  that,  during  the  month  of  January,  Mr.  Harri- 
man, who  was  then  our  pastor,  preached  certain  doctrines  which  were  not 
acceptable  to  many  of  the  members  of  the  church.  The  pastor  withdrew 
from  the  church  and  declined  to  conduct  further  services  in  it  till  a  certain 
event  should  take  place.  He  opened  services  quite  near  the  church,  and 
subsequently  tendered  his  resignation  as  pastor,  accompanying  it  with  a 
statement  of  his  position  and  of  his  reasons  for  leaving  the  church.  On 
February  8  the  church  met  for  the  purpose  of  considering  the  question  of 
the  pastorate.  The  meeting  was  largely  attended ;  and,  after  a  full  and 
free  discussion,  it  was  voted  to  accept  the  resignation,  and  at  the  same 
time  a  resolution  was  passed  stating  why  the  resignation  was  accepted, 
which  differed  widely  from  the  statement  made  by  Brother  Harriman.  A 
Pulpit  Committee  was  at  once  appointed. 

Once  more  we  are  without  a  pastor.  The  circumstances  are  very  sad. 
As  to  who  is  in  the  wrong,  the  Lord  must  judge.  The  church,  as  a  body, 
is  very  firm  and  united.  It  is  feared  that  we  may  lose  some  of  our  mem- 
bers. Even  from  those  who  were  most  ready  to  accept  the  resignation,  are 
heard  kind-hearted  expressions  concerning  Brother  Harriman.  It  is  un- 
fair to  say  that  there  is  any  general  feehng  of  bitterness  toward  our  late 
pastor.  Few  men  have  been  loved,  revered,  by  any  people  as  he  was  by 
our  church.  Even  those  who  could  not  fully  accept  all  the  teachings  of 
Brother  Harriman  during  the  past  two  years  have  recognized  him  as  a 
man  of  consecrated  ability,  one  who  was  intensely  in  earnest,  and  who 
was  consistently  living  according  to  his  convictions.  Some  of  his  teach- 
ings were  somewhat  new  to  many  of  our  members,  but  many  of  our 
members  found  them  very  dear  and  helpful. 

No  one  need  fear  for  a  moment  that  our  church  will  fall  to  pieces. 
Without  any  desire  to  praise,  the  writer  ventures  the  remark  that  the 
First  Church  of  Tacoma  has  a  large  number  of  consecrated,  spiritual,  and 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  l8l 

active  Christian  workers,  who  will  stand  by  the  church  to  the  last.  They 
are  men  and  women  who  read  and  think  for  themselves,  and  who  do  not 
readily  change  their  views ;  but  yet  are  not  at  all  bigoted. 

Now  we  want  another  pastor  to  lead  us,  and  we  want  a  good  one 
in  every  sense  of  the  word.  Whoever  comes  will  follow  able  men. 
Brother  Harriman  is  a  man  of  no  ordinary  ability — well  educated,  a  deep 
student  of  the  word,  and  one  who  made  himself  felt  among  men. 

For  a  time  the  church  w^as  supplied  by  various  brethren,  prom- 
inent among  whom  were  Rev.  E.  Randall,  Rev.  D.  C.  Ellis,  and 
others,  while  the  church  was  looking  for  a  pastor.  It  was  thought, 
at  one  time,  that  Rev.  E.  A.  Woods,  of  Williamsport,  Pa.,  would 
become  pastor;  but  he  did  not  come.  On  October  5,  1897,  a  call 
was  extended  to  Rev.  J.  Lewis  Smith,  D.  D.,  its  present  pastor 
(1900),  which  was  accepted;  and  he  began  his  pastorate  in  November, 
1897.  Under  his  leadership  the  church  was  drawn  together,  all  past 
differences  buried,  and  the  church  united  heartily  in  its  work.  The 
large  debt  of  $10,000  was  about  to  come  due  and  measures  were  taken 
to  meet  the  obligation  in  part,  while  the  time  on  the  remainder  was 
extended  and  a  plan  formed  to  liquidate  the  whole  indebtedness. 
When  the  associational  year  closed,  the  church  had  two  hundred 
and  fifty-five  members,  and  an  enrolment  of  two  hundred  and  sixty 
in  the  Sunday-school.  Doctor  Smith's  pastorate  was  still  in  the 
zenith  of  its  prosperity  in  1900,  when  this  volume  closes.  He  had 
drawn  together  and  developed  one  of  the  strongest  churches  on  the 
Northwest  Coast.  In  the  year  the  church  dismissed  one  hundred  and 
nine  members,  and  yet  had  three  hundred  and  seventy-eight  remain- 
ing. The  church  became  vigorous  and  influential  in  the  general  work 
of  the  Convention.  It  had  developed  a  goodly  number  of  strong  lay- 
men who  held  prominent  positions  among  Convention  officials.  Its 
Sunday-school  enrolment  stood  at  four  hundred  and  fifty.  It  had 
great  influence  in  the  work  of  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  and 
in  the  women's  work  of  the  Convention,  and  was  prepared  to  take 
its  place  among  the  foremost  to  promote  and  carry  forward  the  work 
of  Christ's  kingdom  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast. 

XXII 

Seattle  Scandinavian  Church  (1883) 

The  First  Scandinavian  Church  of  Seattle  was  organized  in 
1883  by  members  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Seattle  belonging  to 
that  race.  They  came  into  the  possession  of  a  good  house  of  worship 
built  in  1882  at  a  cost  of  $2,200,  by  Rev.  O.  Okerson,  while  serving 
as  general  missionary  of  the  North  Pacific  Convention.  He  left  the 
property,  free  from  debt,  in  charge  of  the  Seattle  First  Church  for 
use  by  his  countrymen  when  needed.  The  Home  Mission  Society 
had  paid  $500,  and  the  First  Church  had  taken  a  liberal  interest  in 
erecting  the  building;  and  now  the  pastor.  Rev.   D.  J.  Pierce,  had 


1 82       BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

secured  $175  from  seven  members  toward  the  Swedish  pastor's  salary; 
and  with  this  as  a  nucleus  the  services  of  Rev.  F.  Christopherson 
were  secured  as  pastor.  After  serving  the  church  one  year,  begin- 
ning with  December,  1883,  he  resigned,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
N.  Hayland,  who  continued  to  be  pastor  until  called  to  Portland  in 
1885,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Knut  Nelson.  The  Swedes 
and  the  Norwegians  afterward  divided,  sold  the  old  property,  paid 
back  the  gift  from  the  Home  Mission  Society,  and  each  party 
erected  a  new  meeting-house.  (See  accounts  of  the  Seattle  Swedish 
and  the  Seattle  Norwegian-Danish  churches.) 

XXIII 

Whatcom  First  Church  (1883) 

This  church  is  located  at  Whatcom,  county-seat  of  Whatcom 
County.  It  was  organized  with  sixty  members,  July  21,  1883,  by 
Rev.  J.  Wichser,  an  itinerant  missionary  of  the  Home  Mission  Board. 

Brother  Wichser  came  to  Whatcom  in  May,  1883,  and  being 
favorably  impressed  with  the  outlook,  secured  the  donation  of 
a  sightly  lot  for  church  purposes,  bought  some  property  for  himself, 
and  though  told  that  there  was  not  a  Baptist  in  or  near  Whatcom, 
started  a  subscription  for  a  meeting-house.  At  that  time  he  asked 
for  $600  to  enclose  the  building,  and  expected  to  ask  for  $400  the  next 
year  to  finish  it.  In  August  he  had  secured  $200,  and  expected  $100 
more;  and  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  promised  him  that  the  other  $300  would 
come  from  some  quarter  inside  of  six  months.  Brother  Wichser  was 
encouraged  and  hunted  up  a  few  Baptists,  whom  he  organized  into 
a  church.  In  October  the  church  applied  for  aid  to  the  Home 
Mission  Society  and  secured  it;  in  May,  1884,  it  organized  a  Sunday- 
school;  and  on  July  27  the  meeting-house  was  finished  and  dedicated. 
Some  friends  in  the  East  donated  an  organ  to  the  church.  Thus,  as 
the  result  of  the  labor  of  little  more  than  a  year  on  a  field  entirely 
unoccupied  by  Baptists,  and  with  no  membership  to  start  with, 
Brother  Wichser  had  now  a  church  with  an  encouraging  outlook.  He 
was  not  only  holding  the  fort  here  but,  impatient  to  enlarge  his  work, 
he  had  outstations  at  Blaine  and  Ferndale.  He  reported  progress 
there,  and  said  that  he  found  good  Baptists  scattered  all  through  the 
forests,  and  hoped  to  gather  them  into  the  churches.  He  spoke  of 
large  Baptist  neighborhoods,  and  of  possible  candidates  for  the  min- 
istry. His  pluck  and  perseverance  were  indomitable,  and  his  wise 
forecast  put  the  denomination  under  lasting  obligations. 

In  September,  1884,  Robert  Lennie,  from  Ontario,  Canada,  was 
chosen  pastor.  He  had  served  the  church  for  only  three  months  when 
he  moved  to  New  Westminster,  B.  C,  and  Brother  Wichser  again 
took  up  the  work.  Though  the  members  were  scattered,  and  he  had 
much  discouragement  and  hard  work,  yet  some  bright  spots  occa- 
sionally appear.    There  was  much  interest  in  the  Sunday-school,  and 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  183 

sometimes  a  baptism.  Tlie  church  was  presented  with  a  communion 
set  by  Mrs.  I.  S.  Kalloch,  wife  of  Rev.  I.  S.  Kalloch.  Mrs.  Wichser 
said  that  the  church  was  generally  kind  to  them,  but  "  one  evening 
the  members  came  and  pounded  them — with  pounds  of  coffee,  tea,  and 
sugar.  Some  used  cans  of  raspberries,  tomatoes,  peaches,  and 
cherries,  and  finally  pounded  down  a  new  carpet  in  our  sitting- 
room.     They  brought  sunshine  and  they  left  gladness." 

In  1887  Brother  Wichser  removed  to  Canyonville,  Ore.  For 
some  months  the  Whatcom  Church  was  without  a  pastor,  but  kept  up 
all  its  regular  services.  In  May,  1888,  Rev.  W.  G.  Jones  was  chosen 
pastor,  and  the  church  began  a  new  growth.  On  August  27  Brother 
Jones  writes :  "  I  have  preached  at  nine  different  places  since  com- 
ing here,  and  other  calls  are  heard,  but  cannot  be  heeded.  What  we 
need  is  help." 

In  November,  1889,  Rev.  E.  M.  Bliss  succeeded  Brother  Jones, 
who  had  resigned  to  take  up  other  work.  A  period  of  growth  set 
in,  and  the  church  in  one  year  increased  from  twenty-five  to  sixty- 
five  members.  The  Sehome  Mission  was  established  in  November, 
1890,  and  promised  to  become  the  nucleus  of  a  new  church.  Brother 
Bliss  resigned  at  the  close  of  his  second  year  of  service,  and  Rev. 
C.  E.  Brownlee  succeeded  him  in  September,  1891.  At  this  time  the 
church,  with  its  sixty-one  members,  was  in  a  prosperous  condition, 
and  was  planning  to  build  a  new  house  of  worship.  During  Brother 
Brownlee's  pastorate,  which  he  resigned  in  1894,  the  church  had  a 
substantial  growth. 

The  next  Sunday  after  the  annual  meeting  in  1894,  General  Mis- 
sionary Proper  went  to  pastorless  New  Whatcom,  and  without  any 
particular  authority  from  the  church,  made  an  appeal  for  subscrip- 
tions to  build  a  new  meeting-house.  In  response,  pledges  of  work, 
material,  and  money  were  made  to  the  amount  of  about  $2,000.  A 
written  proposition  was  secured  and  accepted  to  exchange  for  the 
old  church  property  a  good  lot  centrally  located.  This  good  work 
was  followed  up  by  District  Missionary  Abbott,  and  soon  a  fine 
meeting-house,  the  best  in  the  place,  and  worth  about  $5,000,  was 
completed  free  of  debt,  with  some  aid  from  the  Home  Mission  So- 
ciety. Meanwhile  Brother  Abbott  was  holding  revival  meetings  with 
the  church. 

By  October,  1895,  Rev.  M.  C.  Cole,  of  Walla  Walla,  for  fifteen 
years  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  at  New  Orleans,  had  ac- 
cepted the  pastorate ;  he  and  his  family  were  nicely  domiciled  in  a 
comfortable  house  about  three  hundred  feet  from  the  new  meeting- 
house, and  they  were  well  pleased  with  their  new  field  of  labor. 
He  had  a  great  helper  in  his  noble  wife,  and  two  fine  workers  in  his 
son  and  daughter.  The  building  of  a  commodious  and  beautiful  house 
of  worship  in  these  hard  times  without  debt  reflected  great  credit 
upon  the  heroic  and  consecrated  band  that  composed  the  church.  The 
lecture   room   was   ready   to   be   used   for   the   Christmas   festivities. 


184      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

though  for  the  first  winter  the  rear  portion  only  of  the  new  building 
was  finished.  The  church  was  willing  to  wait  to  finish  the  main 
audience  room  until  the  extra  $500  needed  could  be  secured.  Pastor 
Cole  had  found  a  warm  place  in  the  hearts  of  the  people,  and  several 
were  asking  the  way  of  life.  The  prayer  meetings  of  the  church  and 
B.  Y.  P.  U.  were  well  attended  and  the  interest  good. 
Brother  Proper  writes: 

We  wish  some  of  the  cool  and  touch-me-not  Baptists  occasionally  met 
with,  and  not  altogether  confined  to  our  city  churches,  could  witness  the 
sociability  and  hospitality  of  these  New  Whatcom  people.  It  might 
do  them  good.  We  needed  to  keep  a  notebook  of  our  invitations  out,  and 
there  were  not  days  enough  in  the  week  to  accept  them  all.  Wonderful 
people  for   Pacific  Coast  Baptists. 

The  B.  Y.  P.  U.  rally  of  the  young  people's  societies  of  Whatcom 
County,  in  the  church  at  New  Whatcom,  in  1896,  was  a  delightful 
affair.  A  prayer  service  was  led  by  Miss  Julia  Cole.  Pastor  Cole 
gave  a  most  cordial  address  of  welcome.  Papers  were  read  on  the 
various  ways  in  which  the  young  people  might  be  of  service;  and 
the  evening  was  given  up  to  "  Echoes  from  the  Convention,"  by  Gen- 
eral Missionary  Proper,  a  paper  on  "  Consecration,"  by  Miss  Gurney, 
of  Fairhaven,  and  one  on  "  Enthusiasm  in  the  Master's  Service,"  by 
Miss  Carrie  Kalloch. 

At  this  time  work  on  the  main  audience  room  of  the  church  was 
progressing  rapidly.  Sixteen  windows  had  been  put  in,  different 
members  giving  each  the  price  of  a  window.  The  floor  was  laid, 
the  gas-pipes  were  in,  and  the  building  was  being  wired  for  elec- 
tricity. Money  for  the  baptistery  had  been  donated,  and  under  the 
supervision  of  the  pastor  a  convenient  and  beautiful  baptistery  was 
completed.  An  industrial  school  had  been  organized.  Twelve  mem- 
bers had  been  received  since  the  pastor  came  in  October. 

General   Missionary  W.   E.   Randall   wrote,   in    1897: 

A  few  hours  spent  at  New  Whatcom  became  a  revelation.  Under  the 
guiding  hand  of  Pastor  Cole,  and  the  inspiring  supervision  of  Miss  Carrie 
E.  Kalloch,  superintendent,  the  "  School  of  Industries "  has  become  a 
splendid  success.  The  number  of  children  in  attendance  each  Saturday 
approaches  three  hundred.  The  instruction  given  is  too  valuable  to  be 
estimated  in  dollars.  Connected  with  the  school  are  many  departments, 
a  valuable  one  being  a  training  school  for  nurses,  with  a  course  of  over 
fifty  lectures  by  persons  eminently  qualified.  The  Baptist  church  is 
rapidly  taking  a  place  in  the  hearts  of  the  citizens,  and  must  inevitably 
become  the  strongest  religious  and  philanthropic  institution  in  the  city. 

In  December,  1897,  the  School  of  Industries  held  its  second 
anniversary.  The  interest  taken  in  the  work  was  shown  by  the 
attendance;  every  inch  of  room  was  occupied,  and  many  had  to  be 
turned  away.  The  school  had  then  an  enrolment  of  four  hundred 
and  fifty-one,  the  average  attendance  for  the  fall  being  two  hundred 
and  three.    There  were  thirtv-two  classes  at  work,  some  of  them  for 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  I85 

boys.  There  were  sessions  of  the  school  every  Wednesday,  Thursday, 
Friday,  and  Saturday.  The  teachers  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
children  who  formerly  came  in  the  most  untidy  condition  become 
neat  and  attractive,  and  their  homes  changed  from  disorder  to  cleanli- 
ness and  order.  The  interest  shown  in  the  devotional  exercises 
was  most  encouraging,  though  the  children  varied  in  age  from 
three  to  eighteen,  and  all  met  together  for  these  closing  exercises. 
Here  were  gathered  the  children  of  Jews,  Catholics,  infidels.  Christian 
Scientists,  etc. ;  and  it  was  to  win  the  soul  of  every  child  in  the  school 
that  those  in  charge  of  them  labored  and  prayed. 

In  this  same  month  the  church  was  made  happy  on  three  suc- 
cessive Sundays  by  seeing  the  baptistery  in  use.  After  a  searching 
sermon  by  the  pastor  on  the  text,  "  Go  forward,"  a  man  in  the  con- 
gregation rose  and  told  of  his  desire  to  follow  the  Lord  in  baptism. 
The  next  baptism  was  that  of  one  of  the  young  people,  and  the 
Sunday  following  it  was  a  man  who  had  been  a  great  infidel,  and 
was  very  happy  in  his  acceptance  of  the  Lord. 

At  the  happy  suggestion  of  Deacon  Morse,  the  church  decided 
to  make  a  Christmas  offering  to  the  Home  Mission  Society.  For 
more  than  twelve  years  the  church  had  been  aided  by  sister  churches 
through  the  Home  Mission  Society ;  and  the  pastor  suggested  that  the 
church  should  give  not  less  than  $100.  A  prayerful  and  expectant 
congregation  gathered  on  the  morning  of  December  27.  There  were 
the  usual  opening  exercises;  but,  instead  of  the  sermon,  the  church 
roll  was  called,  each  person  answering  with  a  text  and  dropping  his 
envelope  into  the  basket.  It  was  a  breathless  moment  when  the 
money  was  being  counted,  and  a  happy  one  when  the  pastor  an- 
nounced the  result — over  $102.  The  church  gave  over  $76,  also,  to 
the  Missionary  Union  and  the  Women's  Baptist  Mission  Society  of 
the  West. 

The  convert's  class  was  the  quietest  and  perhaps  the  most  helpful 
to  the  pastor  of  any  work  in  the  church.  In  this  class  Brother  Cole 
gathered  the  young  members  of  the  church  every  Sunday  afternoon 
for  an  hour's  study  of  the  Bible.  They  had  their  well-kept  note- 
books, and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  few  old  church-members  could  give 
so  clear  a  reason  for  the  faith  that  was  in  them  as  could  these  young 
people.  Justification,  the  atonement,  baptism,  the  Lord's  Supper, 
church  discipline,  and  many  other  subjects  had  a  living  meaning 
to  them. 

In  1898  Pastor  Cole  resigned,  to  take  effect  June  30;  and  the 
church  felt  that  a  great  calamity  had  befallen  it.  The  good  that  he 
had  done  will  never  be  fully  known.  Through  his  efforts  a  system  of 
monthly  reports  had  been  introduced  that  made  the  monthly  business 
meeting  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  helpful  of  church  services, 
and  a  system  of  finance  was  adopted  that,  if  properly  carried  out, 
would  have  paid  all  expenses  and  left  money  in  the  treasury.  He 
had    started   the    industrial    school    and   had   been    its   constant   and 


l86       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

wise   adviser.     In   his   pastorate  there   were   more  conversions  than 
in  any  hke  period  in  the  history  of  the  church. 

Rev.  Frederick  A.  Agar  succeeded  Brother  Cole,  and  was  in- 
stalled in  the  pastorate  the  first  week  in  November.  The  fine  church 
building,  begun  more  than  three  years  before,  was  rapidly  completed 
and  painted,  and  all  departments  of  the  church  were  organized  for 
aggressive  work.  A  hundred  additional  seats  were  ordered  for  the 
auditorium.  Ten  persons  united  with  the  church  by  letter  or  ex- 
perience. When  Brother  Agar  began  his  pastorate  there  were  fifty- 
five  members  in  the  church;  and  in  1900,  when  he  resigned,  there 
were  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  in  spite  of  the  organization  of 
the  New  Whatcom  Immanuel  Church  by  the  former  pastor,  Brother 
Cole.  In  1900  the  church  reported  a  year  of  continued  progress. 
Fifty-eight  members  had  been  received  in  the  year,  a  net  gain  of 
forty-one.  The  pastor  had  wrought  faithfully  and  successfully.  He 
had  resigned,  but  remained  as  supply  pastor  until  a  successor  could 
be  secured. 

Brother  Agar  left  the  church  in  September,  and  Rev.  Oilman 
Parker,  of  Oregon,  came  in  October,  1900.  The  church  entered  the 
new  century  with  a  growing  membership,  an  improved  edifice,  and 
self-sustaining. 

XXIV 
Chehalis  First  Church   (1883) 

It  is  located  at  Chehalis,  county-seat  of  Lewis  County.  Ten 
constituent  members  were  gathered  and  organized  September  25, 
1883,  under  the  leadership  of  Mrs.  May  C.  Jones,  the  evangelist.  The 
church  was  received  into  the  Association  the  same  year,  Mrs  Jones 
acting  as  pastor.  In  her  pastorate  of  nearly  three  years  she  was  very 
successful.  A  good  house  of  worship  was  built  and  dedicated  free 
of  debt;  the  church  increased  to  fifty-two  members,  a  flourishing 
Sunday-school  was  in  progress,  and  a  hopeful  outlook  was  reported. 
After  her  resignation,  a  period  of  discouragement  set  in.  The  times 
were  hard,  and  so  many  members  moved  away  that  in  December, 
1887,  comparatively  few  were  left.  In  1888  the  church  was  not 
represented  in  the  Association.  In  1889  Rev.  W.  P.  Squires  preached 
for  the  church  a  short  time.  In  1890  Rev.  A.  Witham  was  called  to 
the  pastorate.  The  church  took  on  new  life,  the  membership  in- 
creased, the  outlook  was  hopeful.  In  1891  the  church  was  again 
pastorless,  but  it  kept  up  all  regular  services,  and  reported  to  the 
Association  two  candidates  awaiting  baptism,  the  Sunday-school 
prosperous,  prayer  meetings  spiritual  feasts,  new  Baptist  families 
coming  in,  and  hopeful  conditions  for  the  coming  of  a  pastor. 

In  1893  the  pastor  long  awaited  came  in  the  person  of  Rev. 
E.  M.  Bliss.  A  new  life  opened  before  the  church,  which  rejoiced 
greatly  in  the  loving  and  lovely  character  of  Pastor  Bliss.  With 
the  aid  of  Rev.  C.  C.  Marston,  the  district  missionary,  special  meet- 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  187 

ings  were  held,  which  contributed  largely  to  give  the  church  new 
inspiration.  In  1894  the  membership  had  increased  to  seventy-one. 
This  year  the  meeting  of  the  Association  was  held  with  the  church, 
helping  greatly  to  give  it  a  higher  and  more  influential  standing, 
both  in  the  city  and  in  the  denomination.  Pastor  Bliss  and  his  faith- 
ful flock  gave  the  Association  a  royal  reception  and  entertainment. 

In  1895  Brother  Bliss  was  called  to  take  up  new  work  at 
Tacoma,  and  Rev.  R.  McKillop,  of  Centralia,  for  six  months  preached 
for  the  Chehalis  Church  half  the  time,  serving  the  Winlock  Church 
the  other  half.  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper  was  of  great  service  to  the 
church  in  special  meetings.  In  November,  1897,  Rev.  E.  W.  Lloyd 
was  called  to  the  pastorate.  As  a  result  of  special  meetings  held  in 
January  and  February,  1898,  twenty-eight  members  were  added  to  the 
church.  The  members  took  turns  in  leading  the  prayer  meetings. 
The  Sunday-school,  the  young  people's  society,  and  the  ladies'  aid 
society  were  all  performing  efficient  service. 

In  1899  Rev.  J.  M.  Haskell  succeeded  Brother  Lloyd,  and  re- 
mained pastor  until  the  end  of  the  century.  The  church  reported 
unusual  activity,  a  good  spiritual  interest,  love,  unity,  and  ingather- 
ing, as  marking  the  year.  The  young  people  were  active,  the 
prayer  meetings  well  attended,  and  all  departments  of  work  doing 
good  service.  Twenty-five  had  been  received  by  baptism  and  nine 
by  letter,  giving  the  church  one  hundred  and  twenty  members,  while 
the  Sunday-school  numbered  eighty-five.  The  property  was  valued 
at  $4,000.  The  church  entered  the  twentieth  century  with  bright 
prospects  of  doing  good  work  for  the  Master. 

XXV 

Lake  River  (Enon)  Church  (1884) 

It  was  located  about  eight  miles  north  of  Vancouver,  Clarke 
County,  Wash.  It  was  organized  with  seven  members,  by  Rev.  P.  H. 
Harper,  April  12,  1884.  It  was  admitted  into  the  Columbia  River 
Association  in  1885.  In  May  of  that  year,  at  a  revival  meeting,  it  had 
received  thirteen  new  members  in  one  day,  thus  doubling  its  member- 
ship, and  others  were  coming.  In  the  fall  of  1886  the  name  of  the 
church  was  changed  to  "  Enon,"  Brother  Harper  remaining  pastor. 
When  the  Vancouver  church  was  organized,  in  August,  1887,  the 
members  of  the  Enon  Church,  without  any  formal  action,  or  taking 
letters,  all  went  to  Vancouver,  and  being  received  by  that  church, 
the  Enon  Church  ceased  to  exist. 

XXVI 

Mount  Vernon  Church   (1884) 

It  is  located  at  Mount  Vernon,  the  county-seat  of  Skagit  County. 
A  protracted  meeting  held  here  by  Revs.  B.  N.  L.  Davis  and  N.  B. 


l88       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Homan  resulted  in  the  organization  of  a  Baptist  church,  with  four 
members,  April  27,  1884.  It  came  into  the  Puget  Sound  and  British 
Columbia  Association,  reporting  that  it  had  secured  two  lots.  In 
1885  there  were  ten  members,  but  no  Sunday-school.  In  1886  its 
prospects  were  encouraging,  and  steps  were  being  taken  to  build.  It 
had  dismissed  seven  members  to  aid  in  organizing  the  church  at 
Avon.  In  1887  it  had  its  house  enclosed,  but  had  no  pastor.  Mean- 
time services  had  been  kept  up  by  Rev.  B.  N.  L.  Davis,  visiting  mis- 
sionaries, and  others.  In  1889  Rev.  W.  P.  Squires  was  called  to  the 
pastorate  with  aid  from  the  Home  Mission  Society.  The  house  was 
completed  and  dedicated  in  November.  A  good  Sunday-school  was 
carried  on,  and  the  church  was  taking  a  leading  part  in  the  Christian 
work  of  the  city.  Brother  Squires  resigned  on  the  day  of  dedication, 
and  Rev.  E.  Faxon  succeeded  him.  In  1890  the  railway  passed 
through  the  city,  encroaching  upon  the  church  lot,  and  the  church 
was  compelled  to  get  a  new  site,  which  the  railway  paid  for.  This 
site  was  more  valuable  than  the  old  one.  In  1891  Brother  Faxon 
resigned  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  G.  Taylor.  This  year  the  church 
sustained  a  great  loss  in  the  death  of  Rev.  B.  N.  L.  Davis,  who  had 
been  one  of  its  main  promoters  and  supporters,  as  he  was  of  all  the 
work  in  Skagit  County. 

The  author  first  met  him  at  La  Conner,  where  Brother  Davis 
was  preaching  at  the  time.  He  walked  nine  miles  from  his  home  to 
the  service  that  Sunday  morning  in  long  rubber  boots,  for  his  walk, 
much  of  the  way,  led  across  marshes  where  the  water  wa'^  knee-deep. 
When  I  asked  him  how  he  could  endure  it  he  said:  "Oh.  I  have  got 
used  to  it.  The  dear  Lord  helps  me."  I  often  met  him  in  Christian 
service  in  after  years.  He  was  always  the  true  and  helpful  man  of 
God.     (See  sketch.) 

In  1892  Rev.  W.  A.  C.  Rouse  had  succeeded  to  the  pastorate, 
and  in  1893  Brother  Rouse  was  succeeded  by  Rev,  William  P. 
Squires.  No  record  appears  for  these  two  years,  or  for  1894.  In 
1895  the  church  reported  fifty-eight  members,  ninety-nine  enrolled 
in  the  Sunday-school,  and  a  young  people's  society,  with  Miss  Eva 
Davis  as  president,  but  no  pastor. 

At  about  this  time  the  Mount  Vernon  Church  became  badly 
involved  in  debt.  Having  recalled  a  former  pastor  after  several 
years  of  absence,  it  applied  to  the  Convention  Board  for  aid  in  his 
support,  and  was  refused,  but  feeling  that  the  pastor  chosen  was  just 
the  man  to  build  up  the  church,  it  attempted  his  full  support;  and  in 
order  to  raise  the  money  the  church  had  to  mortgage  its  house  of 
worship  to  Mrs.  B.  N.  L.  Davis  for  $700.  Owing  to  the  unexpected 
hard  times,  the  church  was  unable  to  raise  the  mortgage,  which  had 
to  be  foreclosed.  The  Home  Mission  Society  also  had  a  claim  of 
$250  against  the  property,  and  owing  to  mismanagement,  this  claim 
.would  have  been  lost  had  not  Mrs.  Davis  generously  allowed  it.  The 
trustees  owed  enough  on  another  note  to  make  the  whole  indebted- 


CHURCHES    OF   THE    NORTHWEST  189 

ness  about  $1,200.  On  April  3,  1895,  a  council  was  convened  ,at 
Mount  Vernon  to  consider  the  propriety  of  recognizing  the  Davis 
Memorial  Church  of  Mount  Vernon  as  a  regular  Baptist  church; 
and  it  was  duly  recognized  as  representing  the  Baptist  denomination 
more  correctly  than  the  former  organization. 

In  1896  Rev.  D.  Lamont  was  pastor,  with  sixty-eight  members. 
In  1897  the  church  was  well  represented  in  the  Association,  reporting 
seventy-nine  members  aod  general  prosperity. 

In  1899  Brother  Lamont  was  succeeded  as  pastor  by  Rev.  D.  W. 
Thurston ;  and  in  1900  by  Rev.  S.  A.  Abbott,  under  whose  leader- 
ship the  church  began  to  go  forward  with  new  courage  and  .hopeful 
prospects. 

XXVII 
Pleasant  Valley  Church  (1885) 

It  was  located  in  Clarke  County,  nine  miles  north  of  Van- 
couver, Wash.,  and  was  organized  with  seven  members  by  Revs. 
P.  H.  Harper  and  J.  J.  Clark.  February  25,  1885.  A  Sunday-school 
and  prayer  meeting  were  established.  It  was  represented  in  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Columbia  Association,  and  reported  the  year  fol- 
lowing. Brother  Harper  preached  for  the  church  the  year  following, 
after  which   from  removals  and  neglect  it  became  extinct. 

XXVIII 

Tacoma   Scandinavian  Church    (1885) 

It  was  located  in  Tacoma,  and  was  organized  April  3,  1885,  with 
six  members,  three  of  whom  united  with  the  church  by  baptism. 

When  Rev.  O.  Okerson  was  doing  missionary  work  among  fhe 
Scandinavians  in  Washington  in  1881,  he  built  a  meeting-house  in 
Tacoma,  which  was  held  in  trust  by  Rev.  O.  Okerson,  Judge  R.  S. 
Greene,  and  A.  Anderson  for  a  future  Scandinavian  Baptist  church. 
It  was  a  two-story  house,  costing  $1,200,  the  upper  part  for  the  pastor 
to  live  in.  It  was  dedicated  on  July  16,  1882.  The  church  organized 
in  1885  had  only  to  move  into  it. 

Knut  Nelson  was  a  native  of  Norway  and  a  member  of  the 
Lutheran  church;  but  becoming  dissatisfied  with  some  of  the  Lu- 
theran doctrines  and  practices  he  united  with  the  Congregationalists 
and  was  ordained  by  them  to  the  ministry ;  and,  as  their  missionary, 
was  preaching  in  this  Baptist  house  in  Tacoma  until  he  could  secure  a 
Congregationalist  house.  -  Meanwhile  Rev.  Nicholas  Hayland,  a  close 
Bible  student,  a  thorough  Baptist,  and  a  magnetic  preacher,  had  come 
to  the  Northwest  and  took  the  pastorate  of  the  Scandinavian  church 
at  Seattle.  Hearing  Brother  Hayland's  denominational  statements, 
Knut  Nelson  determined  to  disprove  them;  but  the  study  of  the 
Bible  opened  his  eyes  and,  without  consulting  any  one,  he  gave  up 
his  salary  of  $700,  became  a  Baptist,   and  with  his  wife  came  to 


190       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Rev.  B.  S.  MacLafferty  for  baptism,  and  in  March,  1885,  united  with 
the  Tacoma  First  Baptist  Church.  This  was  not  all,  for  his  former 
church  (Congregational)  appointed  a  committee  to  inquire  into  what 
constituted  baptism,  and  in  consequence  one  member  of  the  committee, 
a  deacon,  became  a  Baptist  and  was  baptized  by  Brother  Nelson 
after  he  had  been  ordained  as  a  Baptist  minister,  on  April  15,  1885, 
with  Rev.  B.  S.  MacLafferty  as  moderator  of  the  council. 

The  result  of  all  this  was  that  Brother  Nelson,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  Brother  Hayland,  organized  a  Scandinavian  Baptist  church 
on  April  3,  1885.  It  was  admitted  to  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in 
June  of  the  same  year,  reporting  that  they  had  been  led  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  associate  with  the  Baptists  in  the  church  covenant,  that  the 
pastor  and  his  wife  (Brother  and  Sister  Nelson)  had  been  brought 
to  see  what  was  Scripture  baptism  and  were  baptized  in  the  First 
Tacoma  Church.  For  a  time  Rev.  N.  Hayland  figures  as  pastor, 
but  after  his  ordination  Rev.  Knut  Nelson  was  acting  pastor,  and 
next  year  had  the  entire  pastoral  care  of  the  church,  which  he  still 
retained  in  1889.  In  1886  the  members  were  blessed  with  love  and 
unity,  and  had  improved  their  property  at  a  cost  of  $625.  In  1887 
there  were  fourteen  members,  six  being  added  by  baptism.  The 
congregations  were  good  and  the  prayer  meetings  well  attended.  In 
1888  the  membership  was  scattered,  and  only  two  resident  members 
remained  in  a  Scandinavian  population  of  one  thousand.  Brother 
Nelson  did  not  give  all  his  time  to  the  church,  in  1887  preaching  half 
the  time,  and  in  1889  only  the  last  Sunday  in  each  month;  but 
services  were  maintained  every  Sunday,  and  the  membership  in  1889 
was  twenty-five. 

In  1890  Rev.  F.  O.  Lonn  succeeded  Brother  Nelson,  and  in 
October  was  followed  by  Rev.  J.  A.  H.  Johnson,  and  the  church  was 
much  strengthened.  The  membership  in  1890  was  forty-seven;  in 
1891  it  was  eighty-seven;  and  in  1892  it  went  into  the  Scandinavian 
Conference  with  one  hundred  and  two  members  and  a  Sunday- 
school  enrolment  of  one  hundred  and  eleven.  Its  total  expenses  for 
the  year  were  over  $2,500,  and  the  value  of  its  property  was  $7,500. 
The  church  was  composed  of  Swedes,  Danes,  and  Norwegians, 
Pastor  Johnson  being  of  the  last  named.  He  had  labored  for  five 
years  in  and  about  Minneapolis,  and  for  nearly  nine  years  in  Fargo, 
N.  Dak.  In  Tacoma  he  began  with  forty-two  members,  twelve  being 
non-resident,  and  in  two  years  the  church  numbered  one  hundred  and 
four  members,  twenty-seven  of  them  received  by  baptism.  By  an 
exchange  with  the  Calvary  Church  this  church  had  come  into  pos- 
session of  a  fine  property  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  K  Streets  worth 
$7,500,  with  a  mortgage  of  $3,500.  The  house,  with  its  neat  exterior, 
its  finely  finished  audience  room,  seated  with  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  comfortable  chairs,  its  vestry  seating  one  hundred  and  fifty 
persons,  its  church  parlor  and  two  classrooms,  was  easily  the  best 
Baptist  house  in  Tacoma,  and  was  well  located  near  the  K  Street 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  191 

electric  and  the  cable  lines.  Many  of  the  members  were  settled, 
near-by.  The  interesting  Bible-school,  averaging  about  ninety  in 
attendance,  was  superintended  by  the  pastor's  wife.  There  was  also 
a  good  young  people's  society,  an  aid  society,  and  a  mission  circle; 
and  a  mission  Bible-school  had  been  organized  in  a  new  addition  to 
the  city.  The  Swedes  in  the  congregation  felt  that  they  did  not 
fully  understand  the  Norwegian-Danish  language,  and  in  January, 
1893,  the  Tacoma  Swedish  Church  was  organized  with  twenty-six 
members;  but  though  the  Scandinavian  church  lost  forty-seven  mem- 
bers that  year,  eighty  still  remained,  and  it  retained  the  church 
property.  The  church  withdrew  from  the  Scandinavian  Conference 
in  June,  1893,  remaining  unassociated  until  it  helped  to  form  the 
Norwegian-Danish  Conference  in  1895.  In  October,  1894,  it  reported 
for  the  year  ten  baptisms,  seven  other  additions,  a  loss  of  fifteen, 
and  eighty-two  members,  with  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  one 
hundred  and  forty.  In  1896  there  were  one  hundred  and  eighteen 
members,  with  a  Sunday-school  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-seven. 
Brother  Johnson  was  still  pastor  in  1898;  but  in  1899  Rev.  Jacob 
Larsen  was  pastor,  with  a  church-membership  of  eighty-seven  and  a 
Sunday-school  of  eighty-three.  Brother  Larsen  remained  beyond  the 
close  of  the  century. 

XXIX 
La  Camas  Church   (1885) 

It  is  located  at  Camas,  Clarke  County,  Wash.,  about  fifteen  miles 
above  Vancouver.  It  was  organized  with  six  members  by  Rev.  J.  C. 
Baker  and  P.  H.  Harper,  April  18,  1885.  The  church,  with  P.  H. 
Harper  as  pastor,  aided  in  organizing  the  Columbia  River  Association 
in  July.  Lots  were  donated  for  a  building,  and  most  of  the  material 
was  promised.  Finally,  however,  the  owner  of  the  lots  made  con- 
ditions for  a  union  building  which  the  church  could  not  accept,  and 
the  matter  was  dropped.  Brother  Harper  closed  his  work,  and  for  a 
time  the  outlook  was  discouraging.  Rev.  J.  W.  Daniels,  from  British 
Columbia,  was  induced  to  look  after  the  field,  but  after  two  months' 
experience  declined  to  take  up  the  pastorate.  Finally,  Rev.  S.  B. 
Chastain  took  up  the  work,  and  in  1890  the  church  was  reported  to 
be  in  a  healthful  condition.  Lots  were  purchased  and  plans  were  laid 
to  erect  a  house  of  worship  at  a  cost  of  $5,000.  The  membership  had 
trebled  in  eleven  months. 

In  1 891  Dr.  F.  N.  Brooks  was  a  delegate  from  the  La  Camas 
Church  to  the  Northwest  Convention.  In  1892  the  church  was  in  the 
Puget  Sound  Association,  reporting  twenty-one  members  without  a 
pastor,  and  in  1893  the  number  had  declined  to  seventeen.  The 
faithful  few  were  holding  on,  though  depressed  and  surrounded  with 
great  discouragements.  Miss  Walton,  who  had  been  a  faithful  mem- 
ber for  many  years,  went  to  Japan  that  fall  for  missionary  work 
under  appointment  of  the  Missionary  Union.     Rev.  P.  H.  Harper  had 


192       BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

monthly  appointments  with  the  church,  and  was  doing  well  in  caring 
for  the  things  that  remained.  In  1894  there  were  fifteen,  and  in 
1895  sixteen  members  without  a  pastor;  and  the  church  remained 
without  a  pastor  and  with  a  stationary  or  declining  membership  until 
it  ceased  to  send  any  report  in  1899  and  1900. 

XXX 

Ferndale  Church  (1885) 

The  Ferndale  Church  is  located  in  Whatcom  County  on  the 
Vooksack  River,  about  five  miles  above  its  mouth.  It  was  organized 
with  six  members  by  the  Rev.  J.  Wichser  in  April,  1885.  A  prayer 
meeting  and  a  Sunday-school  had  been  established  by  a  few  Baptists 
in  1884.  The  church  joined  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in  1885. 
Preaching  was  not  regular  until  June,  1887,  when  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks 
visited  the  field,  had  trustees  appointed,  secured  an  acre  lot,  and  raised 
a  subscription  of  $250  toward  a  building.  In  May,  1888,  Rev.  W.  G. 
Jones  was  supplying  the  church  for  a  short  time.  The  church  formed 
an  integral  part  of  the  Northwestern  Association  organized  that 
year.  A  women's  foreign  mission  circle  was  kept  active,  and  did 
much  toward  holding  the  church  together.  In  1889  there  was  but  one 
sermon  preached  to  the  church,  but  two  young  women  awaited  bap- 
tism; and  in  1890  $500  was  subscribed  for  a  meeting-house.  In  1891 
the  church  had  secured  a  pastor.  Rev.  J.  E.  Sanders,  and  its  house  was 
nearing  completion.  In  1892  the  church  was  thankful  for  its  faithful 
and  efficient  pastor,  and  there  were  seventy-five  enrolled  in  the 
Sunday-school.  In  June,  1893,  there  were  twenty-one  members  in 
the  Ferndale  Church,  five  added  that  year  by  baptism,  with  an 
average  of  thirty-eight  in  the  Sunday-school;  in  December  Brother 
Sanders  had  charge  of  the  church  at  Sumas  also,  and  reported  a  good 
attendance  at  both  places. 

On  January  15,  1893,  the  house  of  worship  was  dedicated.  The 
foundations  had  been  laid  some  fifteen  months  before,  and  by  donations 
of  labor,  material,  and  some  money,  the  work  went  slowly  forward, 
and  services  were  begun  in  the  unfinished  building  in  July,  1892.  It 
was  twenty-eight  by  forty-five  feet,  and  the  audience  room  would 
seat  two  hundred  people.  The  meeting-house  was  in  the  best  location 
in  town,  and  had  the  largest  congregations.  The  Sunday-school  in- 
creased in  numbers  and  interest.  Three  young  people  were  baptized, 
one  of  them  the  pastor's  only  daughter.  The  young  people  organized 
a  B.  Y.  P.  U.,  and  the  prospect  was  hopeful.  In  1894  the  church  had 
thirty-two  members,  and  in  1895  thirty-seven,  with  an  average  at- 
tendance of  forty-six  in  the  Sunday-school.  At  the  close  of  the  year 
1895,  Miss  Mathilde  Malmberg  reports :  "  In  Ferndale  I  found  a  real 
patriarch,  whose  home  was  a  little  sanctuary  in  the  wilderness,  where 
he  and  his  family  worshiped  the  Lord.  Five  young  men  of  the  neigh- 
borhood, two  of  them  professing  infidels,  have  through  this  sanctuary 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  I93 

learned  to  know  the  Lord;  jea,  and  have  followed  him  in  baptism." 
Brother  Sanders  was  ill  and  unable  to  preach  in  the  last  quarter  of 
1895;  but  in  December  special  meetings  were  held  by  Rev.  J.  M. 
Haskell,  of  Winlock,  resulting  in  the  spiritual  quickening  of  the  mem- 
bers; and  in  1896  Brother  Haskell  became  pastor  at  Ferndale,  Sumas, 
and  Custer,  to  the  great  encouragement  of  the  churches,  and  did 
hard  and  self-denying  work  which,  however,  he  resigned  in  1897, 
when  Rev.  G.  C.  King  became  pastor.  There  were  then  twenty-seven 
members  in  the  Ferndale  Church,  and  an  average  of  twenty-two  in 
the  Sunday-school.  In  1899  Brother  King  was  slowly  recovering 
from  a  threatened  physical  breakdown.  It  was  pathetic  to  witness  the 
investment  of  the  very  life  fibers  in  the  exposures  and  toils  incident 
to  this  difficult  field.  In  1900  there  were  twenty  members  in  the 
church  and  fifty  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school.  The  church  thanked 
God,  and  trusted  him  to  bless  the  seed  sown  during  the  year  past  by 
a  faithful  pastor.  Brother  King  was  still  preaching  at  Custer  and 
Sumas,  as  well  as  at  Ferndale. 

XXXI 

Dakota  Creek  Church    (1885) 

It  was  located  in  Whatcom  County,  twent3^-three  miles  from  the 
city  of  Whatcom,  and  was  organized  by  Rev.  J.  Wichser  with 
eleven  members.  May  2,  1885.  Bro.  J.  W.  Kaiger,  a  licentiate,  was 
chosen  pastor,  and  was  ordained  August  2,  1885.  Revs.  B.  N.  L. 
Davis  and  J.  Wichser  were  the  advisory  council.  A  Sunday-school 
was  organized,  and  other  lines  of  church  work  were  taken  up.  In 
December  a  revival  occurred,  and  eleven  were  baptized.  In  Sep- 
tember three  members  were  dismissed  to  aid  in  organizing  a  Scandi- 
navian church;  and  in  April,  1887,  three  more  were  dismissed  to  help 
organize  a  church  on  Bertrand  Prairie,  several  miles  distant.  Brother 
Kaiger  was  a  floating  vessel.  He  had  been  a  Winebrennarian,  then 
a  Baptist,  and  finally  became  an  Adventist  and  Soulsleeper.  Our 
people  thought  best  to  let  him  keep  on  floating.  The  church  went 
into  the  Northwestern  Association  as  a  constituent  member.  It  did 
not  report  afterward,  and  in  1890  its  name  was  erased  from  the 
roll,  and  it  became  extinct. 

XXXII 

Lewisville   Church    (1885) 

This  church  was  located  about  eighteen  miles  east  of  Vancouver, 
Clarke  County.  Wash.  It  was  organized  by  Revs.  J.  J.  Clarkland. 
and  P.  H.  Harper,  October  3,  1885,  with  seven  members.  Brother 
Clarke  had  been  preaching  in  the  neighborhood  for  two  years,  and 
served  as  pastor  for  a  year  longer.  Brother  Rowland,  a  member, 
remodeled  a  house  at  a  cost  of  a  hundred  dollars,  making  a  snug 
little  chapel  for  church  services.     Brother  Clarke  resigned,  and  Rev. 

N 


194       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

P.  H.  Harper  succeeded  him.  The  church  was  admitted  into  the 
Columbia  River  Association,  but  finally  declined  and  was  stricken 
from  the  minutes. 

XXXIII 

Avon  Church  (1885) 

It  was  located  on  Skagit  River,  above  Mount  Vernon,  and  was 
organized  in  October,  1885,  with  eight  members.  It  consisted  almost 
exclusively  of  members  converted  in  a  meeting  held  by  Rev.  J.  N. 
Brown.  It  was  received  into  the  Association,  but  was  disbanded  in 
1887. 

XXXIV 

Salkun  Church   (1886) 

It  is  located  on  the  Chehalis  River,  about  eighteen  miles  above 
Toledo.  It  was  organized  with  six  members  by  Rev.  M.  M.  Lewis, 
February  21,  1886,  and  was  admitted  into  the  Puget  Sound  Associ- 
ation in  June  of  the  same  year.  Brother  Lewis  preached  to  the 
church,  and  there  were  occasional  baptisms  until  he  left  for  his 
studies  in  the  East.  After  Rev.  I.  Phillips  had  supplied  the  church  for 
a  time.  Rev.  B.  H.  Phillips,  from  Virginia,  was  called  to  the  pastorate. 
A  union  Sunday-school  was  sustained,  the  membership  increased  to 
twenty-one.  There  are  no  available  data  for  later  years,  the  last 
report  being  by  letter,  in  1888. 

XXXV 

Duwamish  Church  (1886) 

Four  miles  south  of  Seattle,  on  the  Duwamish  River,  were  sev- 
eral members  who,  in  1886,  were  organized  into  a  mission  by  Rev. 
D.  J.  Pierce,  pastor  of  the  Seattle  First  Church.  He  preached  for 
them  on  Sunday  afternoons  once  each  month.  He  baptized  several, 
and  afterward  organized  the  Duwamish  Church.  A  Sunday-school 
was  started  and  maintained  for  several  years.  In  1888  a  neat  house 
was  built,  but  in  subsequent  years  it  was  found  inadequate  for  the 
growing  population;  the  house  was  given  back  to  Sister  Mitchell, 
who  had  given  the  land,  and  the  work  closed  in  1889. 

XXXVI 

Mauerman  Prairie  Church  (1886) 

This  church  is  located  twenty-two  miles  southwest  of  Chehalis, 
and  was  organized  with  five  members  by  Rev.  M.  M.  Lewis,  May  23, 
1886.  Brother  Lewis  remained  pastor  until  April  24,  1887,  when  Rev, 
George  Hardwick  succeeded  him.  The  church  was  admitted  to  the 
Puget    Sound    Association,    and    Brother    Hardwick    continued    the 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  I95 

pastorate,  reporting  to  the  Association  in  1888  increasing  spiritual 
interest.  Brother  Hardwick  was  still  pastor  in  1889,  and  prospects 
jvere  reported  bright.    No  further  data  are  available. 

XXXVII 

Rankin   (1886) 

Located  in  Lewis  County,  about  ten  miles  west  of  Napavine,  on 
the  Northern  Pacific  Railway,  organized  with  five  members  by  Rev. 
M.  M.  Lewis,  June  10,  1886.  The  church  came  into  the  Puget  Sound 
and  British  Columbia  Association  in  June.  In  November,  1887,  it 
reported  as  extinct  from  removals. 

XXXVIII 

Whatcom.    Scandinavian  (1886) 

It  is  located  at  Whatcom,  Whatcom  County.  It  was  organized 
with  six  members  by  Rev.  Knut  Nelson,  in  July,  1886,  but  had  no 
pastor  for  some  time.  It  was  visited  occasionally  by  Brother  Nelson. 
It  was  represented  in  the  Scandinavian  Conference.  It  had  a  flour- 
ishing Sunday-school.     Pastor,  Rev.  August  Nelson. 

XXXIX 

La  Center.    Scandinavian  (1886) 

It  was  located  at  La  Center,  Clarke  County.  It  was  organized 
with  four  members  by  Rev.  N.  Hayland,  August  15,  1886.  It  had  a 
good  Sunday-school,  and  was  prospering.  It  had  no  pastor,  but  had 
occasional  visits  from  the  Scandinavian  pastor  at  Portland.  It  was 
not  represented  at  any  Association.  This  was  an  important  point 
for  labor  among  Scandinavians,  as  there  was  a  large  settlement  of 
them  in  this  locality.  Rev.  W.  E.  N.  James  visited  this  section  in 
1878,  and  Rev.  G.  Liljeroth  in  1883,  and  both  speak  of  the  field  a,s  a 
very  important  one,  even  then. 

XL 

Dakota  Creek.     Scandinavian    (1886) 

It  was  located  in  Whatcom  County,  about  ten  miles  east  of 
Blaine,  and  was  organized  with  six  members  by  Rev.  Knut  Nelson, 
August  21,  1886.  It  had  no  regular  pastor,  but  sustained  services  as 
often  as  possible.  It  came  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in  1887. 
In  1883  the  members  were  exulting  in  the  Spirit  and  dwelling  in 
unity.  They  were  increasing  a  little.  They  had  no  settled  pastor, 
but  Bro.  K.  Nelson  preached  for  them  occasionally.  In  1889  the 
church  helped  to  organize  the  Northwestern  Association,  but  after- 
ward  went   into   the   Scandinavian   Conference. 


196      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

XLI 

The  Houghton  Church   (1886) 

Was  located  five  miles  from  Seattle,  on  the  east  side  of  Lake  Wash- 
ington. It  was  organized  with  five  members  by  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks, 
November  18,  1886.  Brother  Banks  supplied  the  church  with  preach- 
ing for  a  time.  Brother  Pierce  preached  for  the  church  at  different 
intervals  from  1889  to  1890,  and  the  membership  was  doubled  in 
1889.  In  1891  the  membership  was  absorbed  in  the  formation  of  the 
Kirkland  church. 

XLI  I 

The   Kirkland   First   Church    (1891) 

Was  organized  by  the  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks.  Its  membership  was  com- 
posed of  the  members  of  the  former  Houghton  Church,  with  some 
of  the  members  of  the  Seattle  First  Church.  In  the  prosperous  year 
of  1888  a  house  of  worship  was  begun  on  a  lot  donated  by  the  Kirk- 
land Townsite  Company,  and  was  completed  in  1889,  at  a  cost  of 
$3,200.  Later,  the  bursting  of  the  "  boom  "  left  the  church  helpless, 
and  the  property  was  deeded  to  the  Hon.  R.  S.  Greene.  Afterward, 
through  the  eft'orts  of  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  the  property  was  redeeded  to 
the  church.  Judge  Greene  remitting  the  interest  of  about  $1,000. 
The  Home  Mission  Society  donated  $250  to  the  chvirch,  and  loaned  it 
$300,  to  be  paid  back  in  annual  instalments.  The  church  had  grown 
from  a  mission  or  outstation  of  the  Seattle  First  Church,  and  was 
first  supplied  with  preaching  by  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  and  Rev.  A.  B. 
Banks;  then  for  several  years  by  Rev.  D.  T.  Richards,  M.  D.,  as 
pastor;  again  by  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  for  a  few  months  in  1899;  and  by 
Rev.  J.  C.  Baker  in  1900  and  1901,  while  he  was  recovering  the 
property  for  the  church.  It  entered  the  twentieth  century  with 
new  courage  and  life. 

XLIII 

Bertrand  Prairie  Church  (1887) 

It  was  located  in  Whatcom  County,  four  miles  north  of  Lynden, 
and  was  organized  with  four  members  by  Bro.  T.  L.  Lewis,  a  licen- 
tiate, in  the  spring  of  1887.  Brother  Lewis  preached  for  the  church 
about  six  months  when  it  voted  to  disband. 

XLIV 

Vancouver,  Wash.,  First  Church  (1887) 

It  is  located  at  Vancouver,  and  was  organized  with  thirteen 
members  by  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  general  missionary,  J.  W.  Daniels, 
and  P.  H.  Harper,  August  25,  1887.  Rev.  J.  W.  Daniels  was  chosen 
pastor,  in  co-operation  with  the  La  Camas  Church,  for  one-fourth 
time,  Vancouver  paying  $250,  La  Camas,  $150,  and  the  Home  Mission 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  I97 

Society,  $500.  In  October  Brother  Daniels  resigned,  and  Rev.  P.  H. 
Harper  followed,  with  $150  from  Vancouver,  $100  from  La  Camas, 
and  $300  from  the  society,  a  part  of  his  time  to  be  given  to  outside 
missionary  work.  A  Sunday-school  had  been  organized  at  the  same 
time  with  the  church,  and  a  Women's  Mission  Society  in  March,  1888, 
The  church  purchased  two  building  lots,  elected  trustees,  and  was 
incorporated.  It  joined  the  Columbia  River  Association  in  June, 
1889.  Rev.  James  Cairns  succeeded  Brother  Harper  as  pastor.  At 
this  time  the  church  had  twelve  members,  and  had  paid  $500  for  its 
lots;  and  that  summer  it  built  a  meeting-house  which,  with  the  lots, 
cost  $4,000,  the  whole  sum  being  provided  for.  This  was  more 
money  than  the  entire  membership  possessed  at  that  time.  In  March, 
1891,  a  mission  was  established  at  Ridgefield  or  Lake  River,  seventeen 
miles  away.  Under  Brother  Cairns'  leadership  the  membership  in- 
creased to  one  hundred,  and  the  church  became  self-supporting. 
Brother  Cairns  did  this  great  work  at  threescore  and  eight  years  of 
age.  A  sickness  of  six  months'  duration  followed,  and  much  of  the 
time  his  life  was  despaired  of,  but  God  raised  him  up  to  finish  this 
work  and  to  do  a  still  greater. 

The  church  had  grown  in  1891  to  a  membership  of  one  hun- 
dred, and  in  1892,  when  it  was  admitted  into  the  Puget  Sound  As- 
sociation, it  had  a  hundred  and  eleven  members,  eleven  of  them 
having  been  added  by  baptism.  Brother  Cairns  resigned  the  pastorate 
to  take  up  the  work  in  Snohomish,  and  was  succeeded,  in  1893,  by 
Rev.  W.  C.  Jenkins.  The  church  was  prospering  in  1894,  though  it 
records  the  death  of  two  prominent  young  men.  Brother  Jenkins 
was  regarded  as  a  competent  man  to  follow  Brother  Cairns,  and  was 
highly  esteemed  by  his  brethren  in  the  ministry.  The  sickness  of 
his  wife  caused  his  resignation. 

Rev.  Charles  Carroll  succeeded  Brother  Jenkins  in  the  pastorate 
in  1895.  Brother  Carroll  believed  in  pruning  (John  15:2).  The 
church  had  lost  largely  by  removal  and  "  severely  pruned,"  reducing 
the  membership  to  seventy-four ;  but  the  report  shows  a  "  putting 
forth  of  new  growth."     He  left  the  pastorate  in  1897. 

The  church  had  been  six  months  without  a  pastor,  when,  in 
October,  1897,  Rev.  C.  O.  Johnson  was  called.  The  church  had  been 
compelled  to  move  its  building  at  quite  an  expense.  Brother 
Johnson  was  still  pastor  in  1900,  when  the  church  reported  a  year  of 
the  divine  blessing  and  all  departments  active. 

XLV 

Toledo  Baptist  Church    (1887) 

This  church  is  located  at  Toledo,  Wash.,  at  the  head  of  steamboat 
navigation  on  the  Cowlitz  River,  in  Lewis  County,  and  was  organized 
with  three  members  on  April  22,  1887,  by  Revs.  M.  M.  Lewis  and  W. 
E.  M.  James.    There  were,  at  the  time,  about  twenty  Baptists  in  the 


198      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

neighborhood.  The  church  was  admitted  into  the  Puget  Sound  As- 
sociation in  June  of  the  same  year,  reporting  that  there  was  no  other 
denomination  working  in  the  town,  and  that  it  had  formed  plans  to 
build  a  house  of  worship. 

Brother  Lewis  was  a  ministerial  student,  teaching  and  preaching 
at  Winlock.  His  habit  was  to  start  out  on  Friday  after  closing 
school,  preach  at  some  point  in  the  evening,  at  another  on  Saturday, 
and  at  other  places  on  Sunday,  returning  to  his  school  on  Monday 
morning,  often  traveling  twenty  miles  or  more  on  foot.  The  country 
being  new,  there  was  very  little  preaching,  and  at  many  places  none 
at  all,  and  the  people  were  glad  to  welcome  him.  Wherever  he  found 
three  or  four  Baptists  he  organized  a  church,  as  in  this  case  at 
Toledo.  He  thought  that  this  was  just  the  thing  to  do,  for  then  he 
had  something  to  go  back  for,  and  between  times  he  had  the  mem- 
bers working  up  an  interest  in  the  Baptist  church,  and  he  always 
found  that  they  had  succeeded.  His  plan  was  certainly  helpful, 
though  in  some  instances  the  churches,  as  such,  failed. 

When  the  church  applied  for  membership  in  the  Association, 
some  delegates  doubted  whether  it  ought  to  be  admitted.  Two 
sisters  had  united  since  the  organization,  making  five  members, 
limited  to  three  families.  One  of  these  consisted  of  a  poor  widow, 
and  the  others  were  in  limited  circumstances;  but,  as  they  said  that 
they  did  not  intend  to  die,  they  were  admitted.  Their  record  follows. 
Going  home,  they  started  a  subscription  to  build  a  meeting-house. 
One  brother  cut  the  logs,  hauled  them  to  the  mill,  and  had  the  lumber 
sawed  on  shares.  The  house  was  enclosed;  a  glorious  revival  fol- 
lowed; and  collections  and  cash  subscriptions  were  secured  to  pay 
for  doors,  windows,  nails,  etc.  More  lumber  was  obtained,  as  before, 
for  floor,  ceiling,  etc. ;  and  the  house  was  completed  without  debt, 
and  without  asking  aid  from  outside. 

The  Toledo  Church,  in  1888,  reported  no  pastor,  since  Brother 
Lewis  had  gone  back  to  Chicago  to  school;  but  the  church  had  built 
a  house  of  worship,  twenty-six  feet  by  forty,  had  ten  members,  a 
Sunday-school,  and  a  mission  school. 

In  1889  Rev.  A.  A.  Witham  was  pastor,  and  the  church  was 
reported  in  a  prosperous  condition.  Brother  Witham  had  established 
two  mission  stations,  one  at  Cowlitz  Prairie,  and  the  other  at  Ethel. 
The  Sunday-schools  were  doing  good  work.  In  this  new  country 
the  people  were  not  able  to  give  much  money;  but  they  were  earnest 
and  prayerful  and  faithful  to  the  church,  and  reported  sixteen  mem- 
bers. 

In  1890  the  membership  had  increased  to  twenty-seven;  and  Rev. 
H.  C.  Fleenor  was  serving  as  pastor.  His  labors  were  much  blessed, 
and  one  of  the  outstations  was  contemplating  organizing  and  building 
for  itself. 

In  1891  Rev.  J.  M.  Haskell  was  pastor;  but  the  hard  times  made 
the  work  very  difficult. 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  I99 

For  1892  there  is  no  record;  but,  in  1893,  we  find  Rev.  M.  W. 
Miller  as  pastor.  The  church  had  lost  many  of  its  members  to  or- 
ganize other  churches,  but  had  been  greatly  blessed  in  a  series  of 
meetings  in  which  the  pastor  had  been  aided  by  Rev.  C.  C.  Marston. 
The  members  fitted  up  the  church  and  finished  paying  for  it.  Brother 
Miller's  pastorate  continued  in  1894,  and  he  reported  all  the  resident 
members  faithful  in  attending  all  the  services  of  the  church,  which 
then  numbered  twenty-five  members.  When  Pastor  Miller  resigned, 
Bro.  M.  E.  Edney,  a  member  of  the  church,  was  chosen  as  his  suc- 
cessor, and  was  ordained  on  September  5,  1895,  by  a  council  of 
which  Rev.  R.  McKillop,  of  Centralia,  was  chairman,  and  G.  W. 
Denny  was  clerk;  Rev.  M.  W.  Miller  and  Dea.  W.  P.  Miller,  of 
Winlock,  were  also  present.  Brother  McKillop  preached  the  sermon, 
Bro.  M.  W.  Miller  gave  the  charge  to  the  church,  and  Rev.  M.  E. 
Edney  pronounced  the  benediction.  Brother  Edney  continued  his 
pastorate  for  a  year  or  more,  but  we  have  no  further  data. 

XLVI 

Lynden  Church   (1887) 

It  was  located  at  Lynden,  Whatcom  County,  and  was  organized 
in  October,  1887,  by  Rev.  S.  Hilton.  Brother  Hilton  lived  near, 
and  was  an  earnest  preacher  and  a  live  Sunday-school  worker.  The 
church  was  received  into  the  Northwestern  Association  in  1889;  but 
when  Brother  Hilton  became  a  Universalist,  the  church  dwindled,  and 
it  was  finally  disbanded  in  1891. 

XLVn 

Tacoma  Central  Church  (1887) 

It  was  located  on  I  Street,  between  Thirteenth  and  Fourteenth, 
and  was  the  outgrowth  of  a  difficulty  in  the  First  Church,  which 
resulted  in  the  exclusion  of  some  members.  They,  with  some  of  their 
friends,  under  the  leadership  of  Rev.  W.  H.  Stegar,  organized  the 
Central  Baptist  Church  of  Tacoma,  with  twenty-one  members,  on 
June  ID,  1887.  Mr.  Stegar  preached  for  the  church  until  January, 
1888.  In  April  Rev.  G.  B.  Douglass,  of  Prineville,  Ore.,  was  called 
to  the  pastorate  on  a  salary  of  $1,200  a  year.  He  served  the  church 
until  November.  When  he  left,  the  church  held  a  meeting,  Novem- 
ber 21,  1889,  and  voted  to  disband  and  unite  with  the  First  Baptist 
Church  of  Tacoma. 

XLVIII 

Vashon  Church  (1887) 

It  is  located  on  Vashon  Island,  and  was  organized  by  Rev.  A.  B. 
Banks,  general  missionary,  June  5,  1887.     A  Sunday-school  was  also 


200       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

organized.  Brother  Banks  preached  for  the  church  occasionally  until 
it  came  into  the  Association  in  June.  In  1888  it  reported  having  but 
one  sermon  that  year;  but  it  had  kept  up  a  Sunday-school,  and  re- 
ported one  addition  to  the  church.  In  1890  some  new  Baptist  fam- 
ilies came  to  Yashon,  and  Rev.  J.  Sunderland,  general  missionary, 
visited  the  field  several  times  and  gathered  them  in.  In  September 
Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven  was  called  to  the  pastorate,  and  served  the 
church  for  ten  years.  In  1899  the  church  had  twenty  members.  In 
1900,  when  we  close  this  history,  the  pastor  had  been  absent  for 
several  months,  but  upon  his  return  the  services  were  resumed  with 
the  attendance  better  than  formerly. 

XLIX 

WiNLOCK  Church  (1886) 

It  is  located  on  the  Northern  Pacific  Railway,  in  Lewis  County; 
and  was  organized  with  eight  members  in  January,  1886,  in  the 
course  of  a  protracted  meeting  that  was  held  by  Bro.  M.  M. 
Lewis,  a  young  man  preparing  for  the  ministry.  He  was  assisted  in 
the  meeting  by  the  evangelist.  Sister  May  Jones.  The  church  was 
received  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in  June,  1886,  reporting 
$465  secured  for  a  meeting-house.  In  the  previous  September 
Brother  Lewis  had  preached  the  first  Baptist  sermon  in  Winlock; 
and  now  he  was  occupying  a  section  of  country  sixty  miles  long  by 
from  seven  to  ten  miles  wide.  He  had  organized  two  new  churches, 
with  others  in  contemplation,  and  was  preaching  to  thirteen  different 
stations  once  each  month,  and  to  two  of  them  twice  each  month.  The 
work  of  this  young  man  was  phenomenal.  He  was  teaching  school 
to  earn  money  to  finish  his  courses  of  study;  and  he  kept  these 
appointments  on  foot,  setting  out  after  school  on  Friday,  and  preach- 
ing five  or  six  sermons  before  returning  to  his  school  on  Monday 
morning,  after  walking  twenty  to  twenty-five  miles  on  the  tour.  He 
was  ordained  January  31,  1886,  Revs,  A.  B.  Banks  and  W.  E.  M. 
James  acting  as  the  official  council. 

The  field  he  worked  in  was  destitute  of  Baptist  preaching,  and 
much  of  it  had  no  preaching  at  all.  In  the  first  three  months  after 
his  ordination,  he  had  baptized  thirteen  persons.  In  January,  1887, 
Rev.  A.  B.  Banks  says  of  him: 

Brother  Lewis  was  still  holding  meetings  on  his  field  with  success, 
and  nineteen  had  been  added  to  his  various  churches.  In  March  thirty- 
five  professions  of  faith  were  reported.  In  Winlock  twelve  were  baptized, 
and  eight  united  with  the  church  by  letter  or  experience,  and  some  went 
to  other  denominations.  Among  those  baptized  was  a  man  seventy-one 
years  old.  On  March  28,  1887,  sixty-eight  immigrants  arrived  at  Winlock, 
most  of  whom  were  Baptists ;  but  failing  to  make  arrangements  to  plant 
a  colony,  they  separated  and  settled  in  different  sections.  In  the  fall 
of  1887  Brother  Lewis  went  east  to  continue  his  studies  at  Morgan 
Park,  near  Chicago. 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  201 

The  Home  Mission  Society  gave  $150  to  aid  in  building,  and  the. 
house  was  dedicated  in  January,  1889.  R^v.  J.  M.  Haskell  was  called 
to  the  pastorate,  and  in  1891  Rev.  Mark  Noble  succeeded  him.  In 
1892  the  church  was  without  a  pastor,  but  Rev.  J.  M.  Haskell  was 
holding  regular  services  every  Sunday.  The  Sunday-school  and  the 
Thursday  evening  prayer  meeting  were  well  attended. 

From  the  summer  of  1893  to  the  summer  of  1895  Rev.  M.  W. 
Miller  was  pastor,  and  the  thirty-eight  members  were  increased  to 
sixty-two.  The  church  was  able  to  thank  God  and  take  courage, 
feeling  that  it  had  a  pastor  blessed  of  God  and  a  consecrated  mem- 
bership, with  no  church  debt.  The  interest  in  all  the  meetings  was 
reported  good.  Notwithstanding  the  hard  times,  a  commodious  par- 
sonage was  constructed,  containing  seven  rooms,  besides  pantry 
closets,  and  bathroom.  Two  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  money  and 
material  was  collected,  and  all  the  labor  on  the  building  was  donated. 
No  soliciting  was  done,  except  on  one  day,  when  $45  was  secured, 
and  there  were  no  sociables  or  suppers  to  extort  money.  Brother 
Miller  enjoyed  his  summer  vacation  by  camping  out  and  preaching  the 
gospel  in  the  mountain  regions,  and  baptized  one  at  Vance. 

In  the  fall  of  1895,  and  again  in  the  fall  of  1896,  no  pastor  is 
reported,  but  in  October,  1897,  R^v.  J.  M.  Haskell  was  again  pastor. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  William  Brown  in  1898,  when  the  member- 
ship was  seventy-two  and  the  Sunday-school  enrolment  was  sixty. 
In  1899  there  were  eighty-four  members  and  sixty-five  in  the  Sunday- 
school.  In  1900  a  year  of  trial  was  reported,  with  grace  sufficient 
for  every  need.  Sister  Butters,  who  had  been  supplying  the  church, 
had  closed  her  work  in  April,  much  to  the  regret  of  the  church.  In 
the  fall  Rev.  A.  W.  Sutton  was  pastor. 

L 

Dog  Fish  Bay  Scandinavian  Church  (1888) 

It  is  located  on  Dog  Fish  Bay  at  Pearson,  on  Puget  Sound,  and 
was  organized  with  eleven  members  by  the  Rev.  Knut  Nelson,  April 
17,  1888.  It  came  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association  the  same  year, 
but  was  dismissed  in  1890  to  aid  in  forming  the  Scandinavian  Con- 
ference. Rev.  F.  O.  Lorn  was  pastor  in  1891,  and  the  church  was 
reported  prosperous. 

LI 

Orting  Central  Church   (1888) 

This  church  was  located  at  Orting,  Pierce  County.  This  is  a 
beautiful  town  of  about  a  thousand  people,  a  few  miles  from  Tacoma, 
and  contains  the  Soldiers'  Home.  The  church  was  organized  July  24, 
1888,  with  five  members,  by  Rev.  G.  B.  Douglass.  Rev.  D.  W.  Leath 
preached  for  it  about  two  years,  when  he  resigned,  and  Rev.  William 
Putnam  was  chosen  pastor. 


202       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

It  entered  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in  1891,  under  Pastor 
William  Putnam,  reporting  a  membership  of  twenty-one  and  forty- 
seven  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school.  In  the  meeting  of  the  Puget 
Sound  Association,  in  1891,  the  following  resolution,  offered  by  Rev. 
A.  B,  Banks,  D.  D..  was  adopted: 

Whereas,  The  action  of  the  Association  in  receiving  the  Orting 
church  may  be  construed  as  an  indorsement  of  the  doctrines  commonly 
known  as  Landmarkism,  therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  the  Association  does  not  indorse  the  changing  by  the 
Orting  church  of  Article  14,  in  the  Articles  of  Faith,  edited  by  Dr.  J. 
Newton  Brown,  relating  to  the  reception  of  members. 

In  1892  there  was  no  pastor,  many  of  the  members  were  non- 
resident, and  the  church  was  helpless  for  want  of  interest  and  lack  of 
communication  with  sister  churches.  A.  M.  Bryant  was  clerk  of  the 
church. 

LII 


WiLLAPA  Church  (i{ 

It  was  located  at  Willapa,  Pacific  County,  Wash.,  and  was 
organized  by  Revs.  J.  Wichser  and  J.  T.  Huff  in  the  fall  of  1888.  It 
was  admitted  to  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in  1889,  reporting  six 
members.  In  1890  Brother  Huff  was  pastor.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  A.  Witham  in  1891.  The  members  scattered  at  this  time,  and  it 
became  practically  an  outstation  of  Oysterville. 

In  1898  Rev.  Josiah  Crouch  was  pastor:  a  sad  year.  In  1804 
Rev.  Frank  Ireland  was  pastor.  The  church  reported  having  lost 
much  on  account  of  a  former  pastor,  but  are  looking  forward  to 
"better  times.  The  church  reports  seven  members;  this  closes  our 
record  of  this  church. 

LIII 
Almira  Church   (1888) 

Under  date  of  1892  we  find  the  following  record: 

Almira  Baptists  have  reason  to  rejoice  because  of  God's  goodness. 
Our  church  was  organized  less  than  two  years  ago,  our  growth  has  been 
slow  but  substantial ;  we  have  a  union  Sunday-school  largely  maintained 
by  Baptists,  a  Baptist  Christian  Endeavor  Society,  also  a  Ladies'  Aid 
Society.  Elder  Northrup,  from  the  first  has  given  the  church  efficient 
service,  although  hampered  by  other  duties,  will  continue  to  work  much 
as  in  the  past,  aiding  the  new  pastor,  Rev.  D.  W.  Myers,  lately  of  Pilot 
Mound,  Iowa,  and  who  is  expected  on  the  field  within  a  week.  A  branch 
has  been  organized  at  Hartline,  nine  miles  west.  The  church  will  be  one 
of  the  self-supporting  kind.  Thus  far  we  have  not  asked  the  Board 
for  a  cent,  and  it  is  hoped  we  will  not  need  to  do  so,  although  a  house 
of  worship  is  being  built  which  will  cost  from  $1,500  to  $1,800.  We  are 
not  strong  in  numbers,  but  have  a  devoted  spiritual  membership  who 
expect  great  things  for  God.  Much  credit  is  due  to  Brother  Northrup 
for  what  has  been  inaugurated.  C.  C.  H. 

We  find  no  record  of  the  church  having  become  associated. 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  203 

LIV 
Lynden  Swedish  Church 

Organized  July  14,  1888,  by  Rev.  G.  B.  Douglass,  with  eight 
members,  at  Lynden,  Whatcom  County.  The  church  was  received 
into  the  Northwest  Association  in  June,  1889.  There  are  no  further 
data. 

LV 
Kent  Church    (1889) 

It  is  located  at  Kent,  King  County.     From  the  first,  a  portion 
of  the  members  of  the  White  River  Church  lived  in  this  vicinity, 
and  some  had  advised  the  removal  of  the  meeting-house,  which  was 
but  three  miles  away,  to  Kent.     Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  finding  this  con- 
dition, visited  the  White  River  Church,  and  secured  the  friendly  dis- 
mission of  four  members  to  organize  a  church  at  Kent.     Securing 
four  others,  Brother  Pierce  organized  the  First  Baptist  Church  of 
Kent,  April  14,  1889,  with  eight  members;  and  the  church  was  ad- 
mitted   into    the    Northwestern    Association    in    June   of    that    year. 
Brother  Pierce  supplied  the  church  once  a  month.    A  lot  was  secured 
and   a   house   was   enclosed   by   December,    1889,   which   was   rented 
.  for  six  months  for  a  public  school.     After  this  it  was  finished  and 
dedicated  June  22,   1890,  at  a  cost  of  $1,400.     In  the  early  spring 
Rev.  G.  N.  Annes  was  chosen  pastor.     He  was  well  received,  the 
congregations  were   large,   the   members   increased   in   numbers   and 
influence,  and  the  Sunday-school  had  a  hundred  persons  in  attend- 
ance.    In  1891  the  church  reported  itself  free  of  debt,  and  valued  its 
property    at   $2,500.     The   house   had   been    furnished.     The   Home 
Mission    Society   had   aided   the   building   fund  by   a   loan   of  $300, 
and   had   given   generously   in   support  of   the   pastor.     In   1892   the 
church  was  visited  with  a  revival  blessing.     Through  the  labors  of 
Revs.  L.  L.  Wood  and  Thomas  Baldwin,  many  were  saved  and  blessed. 
The  membership  increased  from  forty-two  to  sixty,  and  fourteen  were 
baptized  into  the  church.     Brother  Annes  remained  pastor  until  the 
summer  of  1892,  when  he  was  recovering  from  a  long  and  painful 
illness.     He  was  one  of  our  most  valuable  and  most  successful  mis- 
sionaries.    He  preached  at  Kent  on  Sunday  evening,  and  at  White 
River  in  the  morning.     In  October  the  Kent  church  was  pastorless; 
but,  on  December  23,  a  council  met  with  the  church  to  consider  the 
propriety  of  setting  apart  to  the  ministry  Bro.  F.  F.  Whitcomb,  the 
pastor-elect.     Four   churches   were   represented   by   delegates.     Rev. 
M.  L.  Rugg  was  elected  moderator  and  Deacon  Smith  clerk.     The 
examination  was  thorough  and  the  candidate's  statements  were  very 
clear.     Brother  Whitcomb  was  still  pastor  in  the  summer  of  1893; 
but  in   October   the  church   was   again   without   a   pastor;    in   June, 
1894,    Rev.    William   H.    Brown    was   pastor,   and   in   October    Rev. 
J.  H.  Woodley. 


204       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Pastor  Woodley  remained  in  charge  of  the  church  until  the  fall 
of  1900.  Twenty-seven  conversions  were  reported  at  Kent  in  1897, 
in  connection  with  meetings  held  there  by  Rev.  D.  C.  Ellis,  and 
fifteen  were  baptized  into  the  church.  Though  ten  were  excluded  the 
same  year,  the  membership  increased  to  seventy-four.  In  1900  the 
membership  had  declined  to  fifty-five,  and  the  Sunday-school  enrol- 
ment was  eighty-five. 

Pastor  Woodley  was  an  earnest,  genuine,  steady  man,  a  good 
preacher  and  an  excellent  pastor,  esteemed  by  the  community  and 
beloved  by  his  people.  He  had  a  true  helpmate  and  two  boys 
with  preachers'  heads  on  their  shoulders.  He  preached  at  Kent  on 
alternate  Sundays  only,  thus  dividing  his  time  with  our  church  at 
Black  Diamond,  about  fifteen  miles  away.  In  the  pastor's  absence, 
the  Sunday-school  took  up  a  little  more  time  in  the  morning,  and  the 
Baptist  Young  People's  Union  a  little  more  in  the  evening.  In  1900 
Brother  and  Sister  Woodley  were  enjoying  a  well-merited  vacation  in 
Ontario,  after  a  long  pastorate  which  had  yielded  abiding  results 
and  yielded  an  added  testimony  to  the  power  of  consecrated  and  con- 
tented service.  He  resigned  September  30,  but  remained  in  Winlock 
in  business,  and  Pastor  P.  S.  Rogers  succeeded  him  November  i. 

LVI 

Seattle  Swedish  Baptist  Church  (1889) 

This  church  is  located  on  Eighth  and  Bell  Streets.  At  a  meeting 
of  the  Scandinavian  church,  held  March  28,  1889,  it  was  voted  to  dis- 
band for  the  purpose  of  forming  two  churches.  The  reasons  assigned 
were:  First,  the  dissimilarity  of  the  languages  of  the  Swedes  and 
Norwegians,  making  it  difficult  for  them  successfully  to  prosecute  the 
work  together;  and  secondly,  the  inconvenience  of  the  house  of 
.worship  and  the  possibility  of  an  advantageous  sale  and  purchase  of 
other  property  more  desirable.  The  proceeds  of  the  sale  were  to  be 
equally  divided  between  the  two  churches-.  This  having  been  done,  the 
Swedish  Baptist  Church  of  Seattle  was  organized  April  22,  1889, 
with  forty-one  members,  and  came  into  the  Northwestern  Associ- 
ation in  June.  Rev.  F.  O.  Nelson  was  chosen  pastor.  A  women's 
society  and  a  Sunday-school  were  organized,  and  in  June  the 
church  had  bought  a  lot  and  begun  building  a  meeting-house,  which 
was  dedicated  December  27,  1889.  In  May,  1890,  the  church  asked 
dismission  from  the  Northwestern  Association  to  unite  with  the 
Swedish  Conference.  Rev.  A.  W.  Backlund  was  pastor  in  1891,  and 
the  church  was  prospering.    Brother  Nelson  had  resigned  in  April. 

Rev.  A.  W.  Backlund  had  been  with  the  church  fourteen  months 
in  October,  1892,  as  pastor,  and  twenty  had  been  added  by  baptism 
and  twenty-one  in  other  ways,  making  a  total  membership  of  one 
hundred  and  seventeen.  The  Swedes  were  mostly  working  people, 
constantly  changing ;  but  the  members  were  willing  to  help  and  doing 


CHURCHES    OF   THE    NORTHWEST  205 

nobly  financially.  There  was  a  Sunday-school  of  sixty-nine  enrolled,, 
.with  August  Lovegren  as  superintendent,  a  women's  mission  circle, 
and  an  aid  society  which  raised  $200.  In  fourteen  months  a  young 
people's  society  of  forty-two  members,  a  mission  school  at  Fremont, 
and  a  mission  station  at  Fremont  and  Shantytown.  The  church  wor- 
shiped in  a  neat  meeting-house,  and  in  the  basement  was  a  good 
prayer-meeting  room,  where  the  young  people  could  hold  their 
Sunday  evening  meeting  before  preaching  service.  The  young  people 
.were  supporting  a  native  preacher  in  Burma.  In  1893  there  were 
twelve  baptisms  and  six  other  additions,  but  thirty-three  left  the 
church,  leaving  one  hundred  and  two  members ;  but  the  Sunday-school 
enrolment  increased  to  eighty.  Rev.  August  Olson  was  pastor  in 
1893-1894;  but,  in  1895,  Rev.  A.  Swartz  became  pastor.  From 
December,  1894,  until  the  following  August,  the  church  was  pastor- 
less,  when  Brother  Olson  went  to  Spokane.  Pastor  Swartz  came 
from  Big  Springs,  S.  Dak.,  the  same  church  from  which  Rev.  A. 
Johnson  came,  and  was  regarded  as  one  of  our  best  Swedish  pastors. 
That  church  thought  it  had  furnished  Washington  enough  preachers. 
Brother  Swartz  served  the  Seattle  church  from  August,  1895,  to 
1898,  inclusive.  In  1895  the  church  had  one  hundred  and  ten  mem- 
bers and  thirty-five  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school;  and,  in  1898, 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five,  and  sixty-one  enrolled  in  the  Sunday- 
school.  The  church  bought  new  property  and  a  parsonage.  There 
had  been  a  growing  conviction  that  a  larger  service  for  the  Master 
could  be  rendered  if  a  more  central  location  could  be  secured.  An 
opportunity  was  offered  to  secure  a  favorably  located  edifice,  a  par- 
sonage, and  a  three-story  tenement  house,  at  one-third  its  former 
valuation.  A  substantial  payment  was  made  on  the  purchase  price, 
several  hundred  dollars  was  expended  in  repairs,  and  on  August  21, 
1898,  the  church  dedicated  its  attractive  edifice  to  the  Lord.  Three 
thousand  seven  hundred  dollars  remained  to  be  contributed,  but  the 
members  were  willing  to  make  the  needed  sacrifices,  and  results 
justified  the  forward  movement,  which  was  a  fitting  climax  to  the 
pastorate  of  Brother  Swartz,  and  showed  the  wisdom  of  pastor  and 
people.  Rev.  L.  W.  Linden  succeeded  Brother  Swartz  in  the  pas- 
torate, and  in  1900  there  were  one  hundred  and  forty  church-members 
and  seventy-five  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school. 

LVII 

Seattle  Norwegian-Danish  Church  (1889) 

It  is  located  on  Sixth  and  Virginia  Streets.  It  was  organized 
April  22,  1889,  with  forty-six  members  from  the  disbanded  Scandi- 
navian church  of  Seattle.  The  church  at  once  established  a  Sunday- 
school  and  a  women's  mission  society,  bought  a  lot  costing  $1,900. 
and  began  building  a  meeting-house.  Rev.  Knut  Nelson  was  the 
pastor,  and  his  work  was  an  almost  continuous  revival.     The  house 


206      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

has  two  stories.  It  contains  six  good  rooms  below,  where  the 
pastor  Hves;  and  the  church  meets  above.  It  cost  $4,600,  and  was 
dedicated  September  28,  1890.  In  April,  1891,  Brother  Nelson 
resigned  to  go  to  Spokane.  Since  he  had  been  very  prominent  in  all 
the  Scandinavian  work  on  the  Northwest  Coast,  this  was  quite  a  blow 
to  that  cause,  especially  at  Seattle.  On  December  14,  1891,  Bro. 
Gustav  Melby  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  of  the  church.  The  coun- 
cil was  from  eight  churches,  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper  being  moderator, 
and  Rev.  I.  W.  Read,  clerk.  Brother  Melby  is  a  very  bright  young 
man,  and  large  hopes  are  entertained  for  his  future.  The  church 
came  into  the  Northwestern  Association  in  June,  1889,  but  was  dis- 
missed in   1890  to  help  organize  the   Scandinavian  Conference. 

In  1892  the  Seattle  Norwegian-Danish  Church  reported  to  the 
Convention  twenty  members,  and  as  being  without  a  pastor.  In  1892 
Rev.  C.  W.  Finwall  was  pastor  with  thirty-two  members,  a  Sunday- 
school  enrolment  of  seventy-six,  and  church  property  valued  at  $6,000. 
In  1894  Rev.  Victor  E.  Larson  was  called  from  Muskegon,  Mich., 
to  succeed  Brother  Finwall.  In  1896  Rev.  O.  L.  Hoien  was  combi- 
ning the  pastorate  of  this  church  with  that  of  the  one  at  Ballard. 
There  were  thirty-seven  members  in  the  Seattle  church,  twenty-nine 
in  the  Sunday-school,  eight  in  the  B.  Y.  P.  U.,  and  thirteen  in  the 
mission  circle.  In  1899  there  were  thirty-nine  church-members,  with 
a  Sunday-school  of  eighty.  Pastor  Johnson  had  received  two  by 
baptism.  In  1900  Rev.  E.  S.  Sundt  combined  the  pastorates  at 
Ballard  and  Seattle.  The  Seattle  church  reported  forty-four  mem- 
bers, with  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  fifty-five,  and  property  valued 
at  $5,000. 

LVIII 
Seattle,  Market  Street  Church   (1889) 

It  is  located  on  Main  and  Market  Streets.  On  the  second 
Sunday  in  March,  1885,  the  Market  Street  Mission  was  established. 
Dea.  Charles  Adams  and  his  devoted  wife  denied  themselves  many 
church  privileges  to  attend  its  infantile  beginnings.  There  were  not 
more  than  ten  houses  in  the  section  where  it  was  located.  On 
April  24,  1889,  a  church  of  eight  members  was  organized  by  Revs. 
R.  Whitaker,  W.  D.  Squires,  and  D.  J.  Pierce,  and  in  June  it  joined 
the  Northwestern  Association.  A  fine  lot  was  secured,  and  a  chapel, 
thirty  by  forty  feet,  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $1,700.  On  November  i 
Rev.  I.  W.  Read  was  called  to  the  pastorate.  Meantime  the  location 
was  growing  to  be  a  populous  part  of  the  city.  A  wind-storm 
seriously  injured  the  chapel,  which  was  repaired  and  enlarged  to 
twice  its  former  capacity  at  a  cost  of  $2,000.  The  Sunday-school  was 
large  and  efficiently  conducted,  two  mission  Sunday-schools  were  also 
reported,  and  other  departments  of  church  life  and  work  were  en- 
couraging. At  the  end  of  the  second  year  Brother  Read  resigned  to 
accept  the  agency  of  the  Baptist  University  of  Seattle,  with  a  salary 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  207 

of  $2,000  per  annum.  Beginning  with  only  eight  members,  the  church- 
contributed  the  first  pastoral  year  $3,803.64,  and  the  second  year, 
$2,953.79.  One  hundred  and  thirty  members  had  been  added  in  the 
two  years.  The  benevolence  of  the  church  reached  over  $2,000.  The 
Sunday-school  had  grown  from  forty  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  mem- 
bers, and  two  mission  Sunday-schools  were  reported.  The  church 
subscribed  nearly  $2,000  to  the  Baptist  University.  From  the  first 
its  growth  was  surprising.  It  is  said  that  in  the  fall  of  1886  Dr.  H. 
L.  Morehouse  advised  abandoning  the  field.  It  is  also  said  that  the 
Convention  Board  repeatedly  refused  to  recommend  aid;  and  that, 
when  it  was  finally  offered,  it  was  not  accepted.  This  church  is  a 
notable  example  of  what  a  few  faithful  and  energetic  members,  under 
the  leadership  of  a  skilful  pastor,  can  do  toward  developing  self- 
help.  Had  it  not  been  for  its  fire  losses,  the  bursting  of  the  "  boom," 
and  the  launching  of  the  "  paper  university,"  the  Market  Street 
Baptist  Church  would  have  had  a  record  for  prosperity  unparalleled 
in  those  early  times. 

Brother  Read  was  recalled  to  the  pastorate  after  his  resignation, 
and  remained  with  the  church  until  1894.  He  was  an  active,  hopeful 
pastor,  with  an  enthusiastic  missionary  wife.  In  the  winter  of  1893- 
1894,  he  was  assisted  by  the  evangelist.  Rev.  H.  W.  Brown;  and  the 
church  had  a  most  rem.arkable  increase  of  fifty-two,  in  two  months, 
by  baptism.  This  growth  was  unfortunately  followed  by  adverse 
criticism  of  the  pastor,  which  led  to  his  conditional  resignation,  but 
this  was  recalled  after  he  learned  of  the  reports  that  had  been  cir- 
culated about  him.  Some  thirty  members  took  letters  from  the 
church,  and  many  of  them  united  with  the  First  Church;  but  even 
after  their  withdrawal,  about  two  hundred  remained  in  church 
fellowship. 

In  June,  1894,  Rev.  W.  T.  Fleenor  was  the  pastor,  and  the  mem- 
bership reported  to  the  Northwestern  Association  was  one  hundred 
and  eighty-two.  In  1895  Rev.  W.  T.  Fleenor  was  a  delegate  from 
this  church  to  the  Association ;  but  no  pastor  was  reported,  either  to 
the  Association  or  to  the  Convention ;  and  the  membership  was  one 
hundred  and  eighty-four.  In  October,  1896,  Rev.  G.  A.  Bale  was 
pastor,  with  a  membership  of  seventy-five;  and  the  Home  Mission 
Society  aided  in  paying  his  salary. 

In  June,  1898,  Rev.  Thomas  Baldwin,  D.  D.,  became  pastor. 
At  that  time  there  were  not  over  forty  resident  members,  although 
there  were  over  seventy  members  on  the  roll;  and  the  church  and  con- 
gregation were  at  their  lowest  ebb.  For  the  first  month  he  had  from 
twelve  to  twenty  persons  in  his  morning  congregation  and  held  no 
service  in  the  evening.  For  two  months  Brother  Baldwin  supplied 
the  pulpit  without  charge,  and  the  collections  were  applied  to  pay 
off  $150  indebtedness  on  the  current  expenses.  The  church  agreed  not 
to  go  into  debt  for  current  expenses  and  to  contribute  to  pastor's 
salary  and   to  missionary  work   as  the   Lord   should  prosper  them ; 


208       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

and  by  August  i  had  been  able  to  put  about  $70  worth  of  improve- 
ments upon  the  house  of  worship.  Congregations  and  contributions 
increased  slowly  but  steadily.  An  evening  service  was  begun  in 
September,  and  by  the  end  of  the  year  the  morning  congregations 
were  some  seventy,  and  those  of  the  evening  about  half  that,  while 
the  Sunday-school  had  an  attendance  of  nearly  one  hundred.  There 
were  two  deacons  and  two  deaconesses,  Robert  Long,  Theodore  Forby, 
Mrs.  T.  Kellogg,  and  Miss  Kate  Bennett. 

In  the  summer  of  1899  Brother  Baldwin  left  the  field  for 
Alameda,  Cal.,  and  Rev.  J.  B.  Weber,  D.  D.,  became  pastor,  the  Home 
Mission  Society  assisting  in  his  support.  A  marked  change  for  the 
better  was  reported  in  June,  1900.  There  was  a  growth  both  in  num- 
bers and  in  spiritual  life.  Twenty-two  members  were  added  in  the 
associational  year,  eleven  by  baptism.  The  services  were  well  at- 
tended, and  there  was  an  average  attendance  of  one  hundred  and 
eighteen  in  the  Sunday-school.  All  departments  of  work  showed  a 
healthful  growth. 

LIX 


Seattle,  North  Church   (i^ 

This  church  is  located  at  the  corner  of  Third  and  Cedar  Streets. 
Early  in  the  growth  of  the  city  North  Seattle  was  looked  upon  as  a 
promising  field  for  a  mission  and  a  prospective  church.  In  1886, 
under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  in  the  First  Church,  a 
mission  Sunday-school  was  started  in  North  Seattle,  which  proved 
to  be  nearly  as  large  as  the  home  school.  It  had  for  leaders  such 
solid  and  influential  men  as  Judge  R.  S.  Greene  and  Robert  Knipe; 
but  after  a  time  of  marked  prosperity,  its  property  and  members  were 
given  over  to  other  churches. 

Early  in  1889,  however,  a  Baptist  family  of  strength  and  vigor 
moved  into  that  section,  that,  namely,  of  Dea.  Alonzo  Hall,  whose 
name  was  familiar  to  all  Baptists  on  the  coast  at  that  time  and  subse- 
quently. He  began  to  agitate  the  question  of  a  church  and  Sunday- 
school.  At  a  meeting  in  his  house,  he  secured  the  names  of  twelve 
persons  who  promised  to  unite  in  any  practicable  effort  to  organize 
a  Baptist  church  in  North  Seattle.  At  a  subsequent  meeting,  held  at 
the  residence  of  Robert  Knipe,  August  26,  1889,  thirty-five  members 
of  the  First  Church  took  their  letters  and  united  in  organizing  the 
North  Seattle  Church,  securing  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  to  supply  their 
pulpit  for  six  months.  He  was  succeeded  in  February,  1890,  by  Rev. 
Thomas  Baldwin.  Two  lots,  centrally  located,  were  purchased  for 
$12,000,  four  men  paying  $1,000  each;  and  a  house  of  worship  was 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $3,000,  which  was  dedicated  March  16,  1890. 
When  the  church  came  into  the  Northwestern  Association  in  1890,  it 
reported  eighty-one  members  and  a  large  Sunday-school.  The  young 
people,  and  home  and  foreign  mission  circles  were  organized.  The 
amount  contributed  that  year  was  $7,536.52. 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  209 

In  September,  1891,  Brother  Baldwin  resigned,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded on  January  i,  1892,  by  Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg.  In  1892  a  debt  of 
$8,600  was  reported,  but  arrangements  for  its  payment  were  made 
that  fall.  Church  parlors  were  built,  costing  $1,400,  and  the  accom- 
modations were  greatly  increased.  In  June,  1892,  there  were  one 
hundred  and  twenty-seven  members  in  the  church,  five  of  them  added 
by  baptism,  an  average  attendance  at  Sunday-school  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty,  and  a  young  people's  society  of  eleven  members.  The 
church  reported  that  the  work  since  the  coming  of  Brother  Rugg  had 
been  encouraging;  the  church  debt  had  been  paid,  the  ladies  of  the 
church  were  doing  noble  work  in  paying  off  small  debts,  the  Sunday- 
school  was  in  good  condition,  and  with  the  assistance  of  their  excel- 
lent and  beloved  pastor,  there  was  hope  of  accomplishing  much  in  the 
future.  In  June,  1893,  ^^e  church  had  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight 
members,  with  nineteen  additions  by  baptism,  the  Sunday-school  an 
average  attendance  of  one  hundred  and  one,  and  a  young  people's 
society  with  thirty-one  members.  In  October  the  church  greatly 
mourned  the  loss  of  its  pastor.  Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg.  A  strong  effort 
was  made  by  the  church  to  retain  him,  as  most  of  the  members  felt 
that  it  was  a  mistake  to  accept  his  resignation ;  but  the  circumstances 
were  so  peculiar  as  to  make  them  feel  that  the  Lord's  hand  was  in  it, 
and  they  tried  to  be  submissive  to  his  will.  The  year  and  three- 
quarters  that  Pastor  Rugg  was  with  the  church  will  long  be  remem- 
bered with  gratitude  and  love.  At  the  close  of  his  last  sermon,  he 
baptized  a  man  who  had  come  over  from  the  Methodists. 

In  June,  1894,  Rev.  C.  F.  Brownlee  was  pastor,  with  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-six  members ;  but  in  June,  1895,  they  were  again 
pastorless.  In  June  and  October,  1896,  one  hundred  and  forty-four 
members  were  reported,  and  the  church  was  still  without  a  pastor. 
Meantime  the  people  had  been  house-cleaning  and  making  the  inside  of 
their  building  so  bright  and  pleasant  that  it  was  decided  that  the 
outside  must  be  painted  so  to  be  as  attractive  as  the  inside.  On 
September  i,  1896,  the  seventh  anniversary  was  celebrated  by  a  social 
to  raise  money  for  this  purpose.  Church-members  received  the 
following  invitation : 

For  seven  years  our  meeting-house 

Has  braved  all  kinds  of  weather; 
For  seven  years,  within  its  courts. 

We  Baptists  met  together ; 
And  now,  dear  friend,  to  celebrate 

Our  seven  years  complete. 
Please  lay  aside  your  work  and  cares, 

And  with  your  neighbors  meet; 
And  bring  an  ofifering  in  your  hand 

That  we,  without  restraint,  ■ 

May  make  our  dear  church  stand  out  fair 

In  a  brand-new  coat  of  paint. 


2IO       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

A  fine  program  was  rendered,  refreshments  were  served,  and 
outsiders  were  charged  ten  cents  admission.  Among  those  present  at 
the  social,  which  was  largely  attended,  were  Brethren  Proper,  Bale, 
and  Cheney.    The  larger  part  of  the  sum  needed  was  raised. 

On  January  2,  1897,  Rev.  Louis  J.  Sawyer,  formerly  assistant 
pastor  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  who  had 
been  called  to  the  North  Seattle  Church,  arrived  in  the  city,  and 
was  met  at  the  train  by  quite  a  delegation  of  brethren.  A  reception 
was  given  him  the  same  evening  in  the  church,  at  which  all  the 
Baptist  pastors  in  the  city,  as  well  as  neighboring  pastors  of  other 
denominations,  were  present  and  took  part.  The  church  was  beauti- 
fully decorated,  the  choir  rendered  special  music,  and  a  large 
audience  testified  to  the  general  interest.  Of  the  large  number  present 
on  Sunday  morning,  each  one  felt  that  the  pastor  had  a  special  mes- 
sage for  him  or  her. 

God  had  wonderfully  blessed  the  church  during  the  eight  months 
that  it  had  been  pastorless.  Most  acceptable  supplies  had  filled  the 
pulpit  on  Sundays,  the  deacons  had  led  the  midweek  prayer  meeting, 
the  Sunday-school  had  been  maintained,  the  members  had  been  work- 
ing quietly  but  persistently  to  strengthen  the  things  that  remained, 
and  new  members  had  from  time  to  time  been  received  by  letter, 
three  of  these  receiving  the  hand  of  fellowship  from  Brother  Sawyer 
after  his  first  sermon.  In  June,  1897,  the  church  had  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  members,  twenty  of  them  received  by  baptism ;  the  enrol- 
ment in  the  Sunday-school  was  two  hundred  and  forty-three,  the 
average  attendance  one  hundred  and  seventy-one,  and  the  two  young 
people's  societies  had  seventy-three  members.  Frequent  baptisms  were 
reported.  The  church  sustained  a  number  of  mission  stations  and 
schools.  In  1899  there  were  two  hundred  and  eleven  members  in  the 
church.  In  1900  the  church  welcomed  and  royally  entertained  the  As- 
sociation. There  were  twenty- three  added  to  the  church  in  the 
year,  but  the  losses  left  the  numerical  strength  about  the  same.  The 
Sunday-school  enrolment  was  two  hundred  and  seventy-eight  in  the 
three  schools. 

Thus  the  North  Seattle  Church  had  a  marked  degree  of  prosperity 
under  Pastor  L.  J,  Sawyer.  He  was  appointed  as  a  missionary  of 
the  Convention,  but  at  the  end  of  the  first  quarter  it  was  decided  to 
do  without  the  aid  altogether.  This  was  very  encouraging,  not  only 
for  the  church,  but  also  for  the  Board,  which  aided  in  the  support 
of  the  preceding  pastor  for  something  over  a  year, 

LX 

Wright  Avenue,  Tacoma  (1889) 

It  is  located  on  Wright  Avenue,  Tacoma.  It  organized  with 
twenty-seven  members  October  21,  1889,  and  with  Rev.  W.  P. 
Squires  as  pastor.    The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Tacoma  deeded  the 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  211 

lot,  and  the  new  church  built  a  meeting-house  seating  three  hundred,  ' 
which  was  dedicated  June  i,  1890.  It  came  into  the  Puget  Sound  As- 
sociation in  1890.  In  March,  1891,  Brother  Squires  resigned,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  E.  Stillwell.  In  May  a  mission  was  estab- 
lished, and  Brother  Stillwell  says :  "  Our  prayer  meetings  and  Sunday- 
school  are  increasing  in  interest  and  numbers.  The  prospects  for  suc- 
cess are  very  encouraging,  and  we  have  a  very  decided  interest  taken 
by  outsiders  in  our  evening  services,  which  is  very  promising."  In 
October,  1891,  Brother  Stillwell  resigned.  This  church  was  finally 
abandoned.  The  property  was  turned  over  to  the  Home  Mission 
Society.  In  October,  1896,  Rev.  E.  M.  Bliss  was  sent  to  the  field. 
Finding  no  opening  to  resuscitate  the  Wright  Avenue  Church,  he 
organized  a  new  church  (the  Immanuel)  and  had  the  property  trans- 
ferred to  that  church,  an  account  of  which  appears  in  the  history 
of  that  church. 

LXI 
Deming  (1889) 
The  Deming  Baptist  Church  is  located  at  Deming,  on  the  Belling- 
ham  Bay  and  British  Columbia  Railroad.  It  was  organized  with 
seven  members  by  Rev.  J.  F.  Norris,  September  25,  1889.  Brother 
Norris  preached  for  the  church  about  a  year  when  he  removed  from 
the  coimty,  and  the  church  was  nearly  broken  up.  It  came  into  the 
Northwestern  Association  in  1890,  Rev.  E.  M.  Bliss  preaching  for  it 
occasionally.     No  further  data  are  at  hand. 

LXII 
Lynden   Scandinavian   Baptist  Church    (1889) 

This  church  is  located  near  Lynden,  Whatcom  County.  It  was 
organized  with  seven  members  by  Revs.  C.  R.  Cederberg  and  J.  F. 
Dorris,  November,  1889.     No  other  records  are  available. 

LXIII 
Calvary  Baptist  Church  of  Tacoma,  K  Street   (1889) 

This  church  is  located  on  corner  of  K  and  Tenth  Streets.  It  was 
organized  with  seventeen  members  by  Revs.  C.  P.  Bailey,  W.  S. 
Cook,  and  D.  M.  Leath,  December  i,  1889.  Rev.  G.  B.  Douglass  was 
chosen  pastor.  Brother  Douglass  moved  to  Dayton  in  the  summer  of 
1890.  Rev.  B.  F.  Rattray  was  chosen  pastor,  and  served  the  church 
a  year.    It  came  into  the  Mount  Pleasant  Association  in  1890. 

The  Mount  Pleasant  Association  was  east  of  the  Cascade  Moun- 
tains, and  the  brethren  who  organized  the  church  were  from  the 
same  region.  Of  the  seventeen  members  whom  they  got  together, 
some  were  homeless,  others  evidently  did  not  know  where  they  were, 
and  probably  none  of  them  knew  where  they  were  going  to  land 
until  the  leaders  tried  to  land  them  in  the  Landmark  Convention  in 
eastern   Oregon,   which   they  probably  hoped   to   reach   through  the 


212       BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Mount  Pleasant  Association.  Not  being  able  to  do  this  or  build  up  a 
Landmark  church  in  Tacoma,  they  finally  disbanded;  and  as  few  of 
the  members  were  in  sympathy  with  the  Landmark  movement,  most 
of  them  joined  the  First  Church,  Tacoma. 

LXIV 
Beracha  Church    (1889) 

This  church  was  organized  and  kept  up  by  Rev.  H.  Morgan.  It 
held  the  "  holiness  doctrine,"  and  was  never  represented  in  any  As- 
sociation on  account  of  its  peculiarities.  At  one  time  it  was  the 
custodian  of  the  Ballard  church  property,  its  site  for  a  building  be- 
ing secured  and  held  in  trust  by  Brother  Morgan.  The  Beracha 
church  is  now  extinct,  but  the  property  was  turned  over  to  the 
Ballard  church. 

LXV 
Custer  Little  Bethel  Church    (1890) 

This  church  is  located  at  Custer,  about  four  miles  north  of  Fern- 
dale,  and  was  organized  with  five  members  by  Revs.  J.  F.  Norris  and 
E.  M.  Bliss,  in  June,  1890.  It  joined  the  Northwestern  Association 
in  1891,  reporting  the  members  few  and  the  motto,  "  Faint,  yet 
pursuing."  There  is  no  further  report  from  it  in  the  minutes  until 
1895,  when  it  appears  as  the  Custer  church,  with  sixteen  members, 
under  Pastor  J.  C.  Saunders.  In  June,  1896,  Rev.  J.  M.  Haskell  was 
pastor.  That  year  good  lots  v^^ere  secured,  and  most  of  the  lumber 
donated  for  a  meeting-house.  Brother  Haskell  was  also  preaching 
at  Ferndale  and  occasionally  at  Sumas.  He  was  doing  good  work, 
which  was  highly  appreciated  on  his  large  field.  In  1897  a  series  of 
meetings  was  held  at  Custer  by  Brother  Haskell  and  Rev.  D.  D. 
Proper,  the  general  missionary.  Four  were  received  for  baptism, 
two  others  said  they  would  unite  soon,  and  other  converts  were  study- 
ing the  question  of  baptism.  Soon  after,  Pastor  Haskell  resigned  the 
work  at  Ferndale  and  Custer.  In  October,  1898,  Rev.  G.  C.  King 
.was  missionary  pastor  at  Custer,  Ferndale,  and  Sumas.  There  were 
twenty-three  church-members  enrolled  at  Custer,  and  eighty  in  the 
Sunday-school.  In  October,  1900,  a  brother  writes  from  Custer  that, 
after  three  years  of  great  joy  and  profit  to  the  church,  Pastor  King 
had  left  them.  Brother  King's  life  and  work  had  made  him  a  lasting 
name  throughout  all  this  northwestern  part  of  the  State;  and  many 
outside  of  the  church,  as  well  as  in  it,  regretted  the  change.  The 
church  reported  twenty-six  members. 

LXVI 
Port  Townsend  Church  (1890) 

The  Port  Townsend  Church  is  located  at  Port  Townsend. 
the  port  of  entry  for  the  Puget  Sound  district.     It  was  organized 


CHURCHES    OF   THE    NORTHWEST  2I3 

June  2,  1890,  by  Rev.  J.  Sunderland,  the  general  missionary,  and  Revs. 
I.  W.  Read,  Thomas  Baldwin,  E.  G.  Wheeler,  and  J.  A.  Benton.  It 
joined  the  Convention  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year,  and  the  North- 
western Association  in  June  of  the  following  year,  reporting  a  good 
Sunday-school  and  young  people's  meeting.  Rev.  J.  H.  Scott,  a  re- 
turned missionary  from  Japan,  being  called  to  the  pastorate,  entered 
upon  it  in  September,  1890,  and  began  a  vigorous  effort  to  organize 
the  work.  His  wife  was  an  enthusiastic  co-laborer,  both  in  the 
Sunday-school  and  in  the  women's  mission  circles.  The  church  was 
embarrassed  by  having  no  house  of  worship,  but  reported  to  the 
Association  a  vigorous  Sunday-school,  women's  home  and  foreign 
mission  circle,  and  a  young  people's  society.  The  pastor  was  hope- 
ful for  the  future  of  the  church,  after  so  auspicious  a  beginning. 

Years  before,  efforts  had  been  made  to  secure  lots  and  to  organize 
the  work.  In  1883  the  Superintendent  of  Missions  made  a  strong  ap- 
peal to  the  Home  Mission  Society  to  put  a  strong  man  into  the 
field  and  hold  him  there  until  a  self-supporting  church  was  developed. 
At  that  time  the  few  members  we  had  in  the  town  were  held  in  high 
esteem,  and  had  the  sympathy  of  many  of  the  best  people,  with 
offers  of  aid,  both  in  securing  a  lot  and  in  erecting  a  building;  but 
we  had  neither  the  man  nor  the  means.  The  waters  were  troubled, 
and  we  had  the  opportunity,  but  there  was  no  one  to  put  us  in.  It 
was  no  exceptional  case  in  those  early  times,  but  this  was  a  strategic 
point,  and  should  have  been  held  by  the  Baptists  with  a  strong  hand 
in  the  early  eighties.  A  strong  man  located  at  that  time  in  this 
government  center  would  have  exerted  a  strong  influence  in  the 
Baptist  cause,  both  locally  and  abroad. 

In  June,  1892,  sixteen  members  had  been  added  to  the  church, 
making  a  total  of  forty-five.  The  services  were  well  attended  and 
the  current  expenses  were  met  with  promptness.  The  Sunday-school 
was  flourishing  under  the  supervision  of  the  pastor's  esteemed  wife, 
Mrs.  J.  H.  Scott,  with  sixty-five  enrolled.  There  was  a  young  peo- 
ple's society  of  twenty.  The  pastor,  however,  felt  called  to  return 
to  the  mission  field  in  Japan.  Mission  work  for  the  Chinese  was  car- 
ried on  at  Port  Townsend,  and  the  general  missionary,  Rev.  D.  D. 
Proper  tells  of  his  visit  to  the  evening  school  for  these  people.  Fif- 
teen Chinese  "  boys  "  were  gathered  in  the  pastor's  study,  sitting  on  im- 
provised seats  of  boxes  and  boards.  Miss  Ella  Miller  was  the  teacher. 
After  the  primer  lesson,  it  was  a  delightful  privilege  to  read  a  few 
verses  in  Mark  about  Jesus  casting  out  an  evil  spirit,  all  reading  in 
concert  one  word  at  a  time,  and  to  bow  with  them  in  prayer.  Nearly 
all  of  them  expressed  a  desire  to  have  the  evil  spirit  taken  out  of  their 
hearts,  all  kneeled  in  prayer,  and  one  voluntarily  offered  prayer  in  the 
Chinese  language.  On  the  Chinese  New  Year  Mrs.  .Scott  was  pre- 
sented with  a  tea  set,  and  other  teachers  aiding  in  the  work  received  a 
china  cup  and  saucer.  Several  of  the  Chinese  attended  Sunday-school 
and  preaching  service. 


214       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

In  June,  1893,  Rev.  G.  N.  Annes  was  pastor,  but  in  October  the 
church  was  pastorless,  and  in  1894  there  was  no  report  of  the  church 
in  the  minutes  of  either  Association  or  Convention.  General  Mission- 
ary Proper  made  two  visits  to  the  field  that  year,  however,  looking 
after  the  Baptist  cause,  which  had  been  in  a  state  of  "  suspended  ani- 
mation "  for  more  than  a  year.  Covenant  meetings  were  resumed, 
and  committees  appointed  to  look  for  a  place  for  holding  services, 
and  also  to  secure  a  lot  for  a  meeting-house.  The  church  had  some 
$300  saved  from  former  efforts  for  this  purpose.  A  good  lot  could 
now  be  secured  for  $500,  which  two  or  three  years  before  would  have 
cost  $2,000,  and  a  meeting-house  could  be  had  for  $200  or  $250.  Loyal 
and  excellent  Baptist  people  still  remained. 

In  June,  1895,  accordingly,  we  find  Rev.  F.  O.  Lamoreux  at  Port 
Townsend  as  pastor,  with  thirty-one  members  and  a  Sunday-school 
enrolment  of  forty-one.  In  October  Rev.  D.  C.  Ellis  was  pastor, 
and  was  encouraged  with  the  outlook.  The  choicest  site  in  town  for 
a  meeting-house  had  been  purchased  and  entirely  paid  for.  An 
appropriation  was  secured  from  the  church  edifice  fund,  and  a  canvass 
was  made  for  money  to  build  a  meeting-house.  Pastor  Ellis  wrote  on 
February  19,  1896,  that  the  house  was  nearly  enclosed.  In  June, 
1896,  we  find  thirty  members  reported  without  a  pastor,  a  Sunday- 
school  enrolment  of  thirty,  and  a  young  people's  society  of  ten.  In 
October,  1896,  1897,  and  1898,  there  was  no  pastor;  and  the  member- 
ship remained  the  same. 

In  June,  1899,  Theodore  Maynard  was  pastor,  and  was 
being  blessed  in  his  new  pastorate.  Five  were  added  to  the 
church  by  baptism,  making  thirty-five  members;  and  there  was  an 
average  attendance  of  forty-five  in  the  Sunday-school.  New  hope 
and  activity  had  come  to  the  loyal  members  of  the  church.  After 
Brother  Maynard's  retirement,  the  church,  without  delay,  called  Rev. 
F.  H.  Webster,  of  California,  formerly  of  Shelton,  Wash.,  to  the 
pastorate,  jointly  with  the  church  at  Quilcene.  He  writes  at  the 
close  of  the  year : 

Our  church  here  was  organized  eleven  years  ago,  Brother  Scott,  who 
had  just  returned  from  Japan,  being  the  first  pastor.  The  church  has 
never  had  any  large  ingatherings,  but  has  been  blessed  with  a  few  faithful 
families,  who  have  always  helped  to  hold  the  church  together.  Five  years 
ago  they  built,  without  debt,  a  neat  church  home,  under  the  leadership  of 
Brother  Ellis,  now  of  Fremont.  At  present  the  outlook  is  more  hopeful 
than  for  some  months.  .  .  We  held  a  week  of  special  meetings,  and  later, 
Brother  Randall,  our  general  missionary,  was  with  us  five  days,  giving 
valuable  assistance.  Five  were  baptized  recently.  Our  Sunday-school  is 
in  excellent  condition,  and  is  having  the  largest  average  attendance  in  its 
history,  seldom  falling  below  fifty.  Bro:  S.  V.  Stuart  is  the  efficient  super- 
intendent, and  he  is  assisted  by  a  corps  of  consecrated  teachers. 

Brother  Webster  was  still  pastor  in  October,  1900.  In  the 
previous  year  the  church  had  lost  several  families  by  removal,  show- 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  215 

ing  a  net  loss  of  five  members ;  but  the  church  entered  the  twentieth 
century  well  organized,  harmonious,  and  out  of  debt. 

Of  the  boyhood  of  the  first  pastor  of  the  Port  Townsend  Church, 
Rev.  J.  H.  Scott,  at  the  home  of  his  parents  in  Michigan,  the  author 
has  a  very  pleasant  memory.  He  was  often  entertained  in  that  home 
when  he  came  into  the  neighborhood,  where  he  had  an  outstation. 
The  boy  was  converted  there,  and  I  shall  never  forget  the  scene  at 
his  baptism.  It  took  place  in  a  beautiful  neighboring  stream  in  a  most 
lovely  spot  just  below  a  bridge,  where  the  stream  widened  out  into  a 
placid  pool.  Just  as  the  congregation  was  engaged  in  the  intro- 
ductory service,  big  drops  of  rain  began  falling  from  a  passing  cloud, 
each  drop  making  little  rings  of  ripples  upon  the  still  water.  I  said: 
"  I  don't  think  this  means  that  the  Lord  wants  me  to  sprinkle  the 
candidates."  Then,  suddenly,  there  came  a  heavy  clap  of  thunder,  the 
clouds  divided,  the  rain  ceased,  the  sun  threw  its  lovely  rays  upon 
the  scene;  the  water,  now  quiet  again,  was  like  a  mirror  reflecting 
every  object  surrounding  it.  A  broad  smile  was  visible  in  the 
congregation,  as  I  turned  quickly  and  said :  "  You  see  that  the  Lord 
does  not  approve  of  sprinkling.  We  shall  now  proceed  with  the 
baptism."  In  later  years  I  was  often  reminded  of  this  scene;  and  I 
recall  especially  one  occasion  when  at  the  close  of  protracted  meet- 
ings I  heard  a  Methodist  minister  give  notice:  "We  are  to  baptize 
on  next  Sunday.  If  any  of  you  want  to  be  sprinkled,  I  will  sprinkle 
you;  if  any  wish  to  be  poured,  I  will  pour  you;  and  if  any  of  you 
want  to  be  baptized,  I  will  immerse  you." 

LXVII 

IssAQUAH  Baptist  Church 

Earlier  the  town  was  called  Gillman.  Several  efforts  had  been 
made  to  organize  a  Baptist  church  in  this  mining  town.  A  Baptist 
Sunday-school  had  been  started  at  one  time  and  furnished  with 
supplies  from  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society.  It  was 
merged  into  a  union  school  and  afterward  into  a  Methodist  school. 
There  was  quite  a  Mormon  element  in  the  town  of  the  "  gospelite  " 
element  who  reject  polygamy.  The  Methodists  had  a  small  chapel 
with  a  class  of  four  members.  The  Roman  Catholics  a  small  fol- 
lowing, with  meetings  once  each  month.  This  was  the  status  of 
this  mining  town  when  the  Baptist  church  was  organized  on  May  2, 
1890,  with  about  a  dozen  members.  It  came  into  the  Northwestern 
Association  in  June  of  the  same  year,  reporting  fourteen  members, 
with  Bro.  Wm.  Brown,  from  Kent,  supplying  them,  having  moved  his 
family  to  the  place.  The  church  had  fitted  up  a  room  of  good  size 
for  use,  and  was  holding  regular  services. 

A  council  for  recognition  and  ordination  was  called  on  June 
3,  1896,  which  consisted  of  only  five  members,  on  account  of  delayed 
trains.    Two  of  these  were  ministers,  namely,  Revs.  D.  D.  Proper  and 


2l6      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE   NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

D.  T.  Richards.  The  council  recognized  the  church  and  also  or- 
dained Bro.  Wm.  Brown  to  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry.  Brother 
Brown  worked  the  field  successfully  for  a  time,  but  conditions  incident 
to  a  mining  town  in  strikes,  removals,  etc.,  caused  the  church  to  be- 
come scattered,  and  Brother  Brown  removed  to  another  field.  In  1900 
there  was  no  pastor  and  no  service.  An  effort  had  been  made  to 
secure  a  lot  for  church  building,  but  could  not  be  obtained  from  the 
company  owning  the  town  site,  except  to  build  a  union  church.  A 
good  Baptist  family,  E.  M.  Sylvester,  a  banker,  with  a  half  dozen 
others,  were  in  Issaquah,  with  ten  others  at  Pine  Lake,  five  miles 
away,  who  in  December  had  organized  a  Baptist  Sunday-school  and 
started  a  prayer  meeting.  Not  a  brilliant  opening  upon  entering  the 
twentieth  century,  and  yet  a  nucleus  for  future  work. 

LXVIII 

Tacoma,    Fern    Hill   Church    (1890) 

This  church  was  organized  with  twenty-one  members,  eighteen 
of  them  heads  of  families.  May  16,  1890,  by  Rev.  George  D. 
Downey,  who  was  chosen  for  pastor.  It  joined  the  Puget  Sound  As- 
sociation the  same  year,  reporting  the  church  duly  recognized  by  a 
council  on  June  8,  and  the  field  an  important  one.  In  1891  there 
.were  fourteen  members,  with  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  ninety, 
and  no  pastor.  In  June,  1892,  Rev.  G.  A.  Bale  was  pastor,  with 
twenty-six  members  and  an  interesting  Sunday-school  of  fifty  pupils. 
The  church  was  thankful  for  help  received  from  those  outside  to 
aid  in  building  a  house  of  worship,  which  would  soon  be  completed. 
The  building  was  thirty  feet  by  forty-three,  with  an  addition  in  the 
rear  fourteen  feet  by  twenty-four,  for  the  baptistery  and  robing 
rooms.  Folding  doors  partitioned  off  a  classroom  in  the  front,  ten 
feet  by  twenty-one;  and  there  was  a  neat  tower  in  one  corner.  The 
following  account  of  Brother  Bale's  labors  may  be  interesting: 

About  July  4,  1891,  a  young  man,  a  student  of  Des  Moines  College, 
Iowa,  stepped  off  the  train  at  Tacoma,  and  less  than  two  hours  after 
received  an  invitation  to  preach  to  the  people  at  Fern  Hill  on  the  fol- 
lowing Sunday.  He  accepted  this  invitation,  and  the  result  was  that  he 
was  unanimously  called  by  the  church  to  serve  as  pastor  for  one  year 
in  connection  with  the  Fifteenth  and  I  Street  Mission  in  Tacoma.  Last 
July,  1892,  he  was  called  to  serve  us  three  months  longer,  or  until  school 
opened.  On  September  18  he  closed  his  labors  with  us,  and  the  following 
letter,  ordered  by  the  church,  will  give  some  idea  of  the  cordial  relations 
that  have  existed  between  the  pastor  and  his  people,  and  of  what  has 
been  accomplished  imder  his  ministry  here : 

"To  whom  it  may  concern:  This  is  to  certify  that  the  bearer,  Rev. 
Geo.  A.  Bale,  has  this  day  closed  his  labors  as  pastor  of  this  church  to 
continue  his  studies  and  further  fit  himself  for  the  ministry  of  the  gospel. 
We  desire  to  express  our  gratitude  to  the  great  Head  of  the  church  for 
sending  Brother  Bale  to  us.  We  have  found  him  to  be  a  man  of  God, 
filled   with   the   Holy   Spirit,   and   thoroughly  furnished   unto   every  good 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  21^ 

word  and  work,  a  fearless  expounder  of  the  word  of  truth,  a  faithful  and 
loving  pastor,  an  enthusiastic  and  progressive  leader.  Under  his  leader- 
ship and  the  blessing  of  God,  in  the  last  fifteen  months  the  church 
has  nearly  doubled  its  membership,  and  we  have  been  enabled  to  erect  a 
beautiful  house  of  worship,  on  which  Brother  Bale  expended  nearly  forty 
days  of  hard  manual  labor,  and  which  we  are  nearly  ready  to  dedicate, 
free  of  debt,  to  the  service  of  God." 

The  church  presented  Brother  Bale  with  a  set  of  "  Clark's  Notes 
on  the  Gospels,"  and  the  mission  gave  him  a  farewell  reception  and  a 
purse  containing  over  $25.  He  went  to  study  at  the  University  of 
Chicago. 

Bro.  J.  H.  Woodley  succeeded  him  as  pastor  at  Fern  Hill.  A 
council  was  called  to  meet  at  Fern  Hill  on  January  31,  1893,  to 
examine,  and  if  advisable,  ordain  to  the  ministry  Bros.  J.  H. 
Woodley  and  M.  W.  Miller,  the  one  being  pastor  at  Fern  Hill  and 
the  other  pastor-elect  at  Winlock  and  Toledo.  Rev.  George  D. 
Downey  was  elected  moderator,  and  Rev.  W.  S.  Cook,  clerk.  After  a 
thorough  and  satisfactory  examination,  the  ordination  was  proceeded 
with.  Rev.  George  D.  Downey  offered  the  ordaining  prayer,  and  Rev. 
W.  F.  Harper  gave  the  charge  to  the  candidates.  Not  long  after  this 
four  persons  were  received  into  the  Fern  Hill  church,  and  God  was 
blessing  it  richly.  Though  there  was  much  opposition  from  infidels, 
both  men  and  women,  there  were  large  congregations  completely 
filling  the  house.  Rev.  J.  H.  Woodley  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  the 
people,  and  was  building  wisely  for  the  truth. 

The  membership  in  June,  1895,  was  thirty-one,  with  an  enrolment 
of  sixty  in  the  Sunday-school;  but  no  pastor  was  reported.  In 
October  Rev.  E.  M.  Bliss  was  pastor  at  Fern  Hill  and  the  Tacoma 
missions.  In  October,  1897,  there  were  thirty-three  church-members^ 
and  an  attendance  of  twenty  in  the  Sunday-school.  In  June,  1898, 
there  were  seventeen  church-members  and  thirty  in  the  Sunday-school. 
Regular  services  and  Sunday-school  had  been  maintained  by  Pastor 
Bliss  during  the  year,  with  a  slight  increase  in  attendance  over  that 
of  the  year  before.  In  October,  1899,  there  were  fourteen  members, 
with  no  pastor,  and  thirty  in  the  Sunday-school ;  and  in  1900  there 
was  no  report  from  the  church  either  in  the  Association  or  the  Con- 
vention. 

LXIX 

Ballard  Church  (1890) 

The  Ballard  Church  is  located  at  Ballard,  a  suburb  of  Seattle, 
and  was  organized  with  eleven  members  by  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  D.  D., 
and  Rev.  E.  G.  Wheeler,  of  chapel  car  Emmanuel,  in  May,  1890.  In 
August,  1889,  Rev.  Henry  Morgan,  pastor  of  the  Beracha  Baptist 
Church,  secured  a  lot  in  Ballard  to  be  held  in  trust  by  this  church, 
with  a  view  to  erecting  a  church  building  in  Ballard  within  nine 
months,  to  cost  not  less  than  $2,500.  In  February,  1890,  the  Baptist 
Social  Union  of  Seattle  appointed  a  committee,  consisting  of  Brethren 


2l8       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Pierce,  Morgan,  and  Hamlet,  with  power  to  act  in  securing  the  lot 
and  erecting  the  building,  which  was  undertaken  and  completed  in 
ninety  days.  The  Social  Union  paid  $800,  the  Ballard  people  $800, 
and  the  Home  Mission  Society  gave  $500  and  loaned  $500,  making  the 
total  cost,  $2,600.  A  friendly  suit  at  law  was  necessary  to  secure  the 
title.  The  church  joyfully  entered  its  new  home,  and  Rev.  L.  L. 
Wood  supplied  the  pulpit  for  several  months.  The  church  joined 
the.  Northwestern  Association  in  1890,  and  reported,  in  1891,  eighteen 
members  and  a  Sunday-school  with  seventy-five  pupils.  In  June, 
1892,  the  church  rejoiced  in  the  past  labors  of  Rev.  L.  L.  Wood,  but 
regretted  that  he  had  been  obliged  to  give  up  the  work.  Rev.  W.  H. 
Black,  of  Fremont,  was  preaching  to  the  Ballard  church  that  sum- 
mer on  Sunday  evenings,  and  slowly  gathering  a  good  congregation. 
While  several  Baptist  families  had  moved  away,  others  had  come  to 
Ballard.  In  June,  1893,  Rev.  C.  A.  Salyer  was  pastor  at  Ballard  and 
Fremont.  A  church-membership  of  forty-five  was  reported  at  Ballard, 
with  a  Sunday-school  of  seventy.  In  June,  1894,  Brother  Salyer  was 
pastor,  giving  his  whole  time  to  Ballard;  and  there  were  sixty-nine 
members,  with  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  ninety.  In  June,  1895, 
Rev.  J.  Cashman  was  pastor,  with  a  membership  of  seventy-six, 
fourteen  being  added  in  the  year  by  baptism.  Brother  Cashman 
preached  to  the  church  for  the  first  time  on  the  last  Sunday  in 
September,  1894;  and  after  that  two  able  sermons  each  Sunday, 
faithful,  earnest,  and  spiritual.  He  stood  at  his  post  in  spite  of 
hard  times  and  neglect  of  duty  on  the  part  of  his  church-members, 
rightly  dividing  the  word  of  truth,  and  proving  himself  a  genial, 
kindly  friend. 

In  October,  1895,  Bro.  N.  W.  Fletcher  was  pastor  at  Ballard  and 
Fremont.  On  April  i,  1896,  a  council  met  at  Ballard  for  the  purpose 
of  examining  Pastor  Fletcher  with  a  view  to  his  ordination.  After  an 
examination,  the  ordination  was  proceeded  with.  Rev.  C.  F.  Brownlee 
being  moderator,  and  W.  O.  Hardin,  clerk  of  the  council.  Rev.  S.  A. 
Abbott  preached  the  sermon.  Brother  Brownlee  gave  the  ordaining 
prayer  and  the  charge  to  the  church.  Rev.  O.  L.  Hoien  gave  the 
charge  to  the  pastor,  and  Rev.  A.  Sandell  the  hand  of  fellowship.  At 
a  council  of  the  churches  of  the  Northwestern  Association,  however, 
held  in  the  Tabernacle  Church  of  Seattle,  on  June  8,  1897,  ^^r  the 
purpose  of  determining  the  ministerial  standing  of  Rev.  N.  W. 
Fletcher,  of  Ballard,  and  of  considering  matters  connected  with  the 
Ballard  Church,  it  was  unanimously  voted  that  Brother  Fletcher  is 
disqualified  from  acting  as  pastor  in  this  denomination,  and  that 
those  members  only  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Ballard,  who  hold 
to  the  commonly  received  faith  of  the  denomination,  should  be 
recognized  as  constituting  that  church.  This  action  was  taken  with 
much  regret  at  its  necessity  and  with  love  for  Brother  Fletcher.  It 
was  hoped  that  he  may  be  led  to  see  the  truth  as  taught  in  Scripture 
and  illumined  by  the  Holy  Spirit.    The  peculiar  teachings  of  Brother 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  219 

Fletcher  were  promulgated  in  a  pamphlet  entitled  "  How  the  Devil 
Came  to  Church,"  and  he  was  upheld  by  his  church  in  spreading  them. 
He  withdrew  from  the  Baptist  denomination  in  1897,  and  established 
what  he  called  the  "  First  Christian  Church  of  Ballard." 

In  October,  1898,  the  Ballard  First  Baptist  Church  was  reported 
as  having  ten  members,  without  a  pastor.  In  June,  1899,  forty-eight 
members  are  reported,  and  in  October  of  that  year  thirty  members, 
and  as  pastorless.  In  June,  1900,  the  church  was  weak  but  hopeful. 
It  had  paid  $113  toward  its  mortgage  that  year.  The  church  was  sus- 
taining its  services,  Dea.  Eli  T.  Hamblet  acting  as  pastor.  It 
reported  twenty-three  members,  with  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of 
twenty-one.  He  remained  pastor  that  year,  and  the  membership 
increased  to  twenty-six. 

LXX 
Fairhaven  Church   (1890) 

This  church  is  located  at  Fairhaven,  on  Bellingham  Bay,  in  What- 
com County,  and  was  organized  by  Revs.  J.  Sunderland,  E.  M.  Bliss, 
J.  E.  Nares,  J.  Wichser,  and  V.  G.  Collins,  May  11,  1890,  with 
seventeen  members.  It  came  into  the  Northwestern  Association  the 
same  year.  Two  years  previous  the  place  had  been  a  forest.  Now 
it  had  a  population  of  three  thousand,  a  railway,  waterworks,  an  elec- 
tric plant,  a  ten-thousand-dollar  school  building,  large  brick  blocks, 
one  of  which  cost  $100,000,  and  other  improvements  to  correspond. 
Rev.  N.  G.  Collins,  of  Dodge  City,  Kan.,  supplied  the  church  until 
November  i,  when  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  D.  D.,  accepted  the  pastorate. 
Two  lots  were  donated  for  a  church  building,  and  by  March  i,  1891,  a 
parsonage  costing  $500  had  been  built  on  the  rear  of  the  lots,  and  a 
like  sum  had  been  expended  on  a  house  of  worship.  Owing  to  the 
unprecedented  financial  pressure,  a  halt  had  to  be  called  in  the 
church  building  and  other  improvements;  but  the  membership  of  the 
church  had  increased  to  forty-seven,  and  the  population  of  the  town 
to  seven  thousand.  The  church  had  a  young  people's  society,  a 
women's  mission  society,  a  "  Busy  Bee  "  society,  and  all  were  doing 
well.  In  June,  1892,  the  church  reported  itself  as  pastorless,  with 
thirty  members,  and  eighty-four  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school.  Prog- 
ress was  being  made  in  paying  off  the  debt,  arid  the  interest  was  keep- 
ing up.  The  Ridgeway  branch  of  the  church  was  bidding  fair  soon 
to  outstrip  the  mother  church  in  the  number  of  members,  and  bap- 
tisms were  reported.  In  June,  189^,  Rev.  T.  S.  Crandall  w^as  pastor 
of  twenty-seven  members  at  Fairhaven,  with  forty-eight  in  the  Sun- 
day-school. In  June,  1894,  there  were  forty-one  members,  and  the 
church  was  without  a  pastor.  In  June,  1895,  there  were  twenty-two 
members,  and  the  church  still  pastorless.  In  October,  1896,  the  mem- 
bership was  fifteen,  and  the  church  without  a  pastor,  and  no  Sunday- 
school  was  reported.  In  1897  to  1900  there  is  no  mention  of  the 
church,  either  in  the  Association  or  in  the  Convention.     On  July  17, 


220      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

1900,  James  Edmunds,  the  Sunday-school  missionary,  arrived  at  Fair- 
haven  for  the  purpose  of  reviving  Baptist  interests  there.  On  July 
19,  Rev.  A.  H.  Hause,  the  Publication  Society's  hustling  colporter- 
missionary  for  Washington,  arrived  and  began  a  systematic  house-to- 
house  visitation  in  quest  of  Baptists.  Eleven  members  of  the  church 
organized  in  boom  days,  ten  years  before,  were  found,  and  thirty 
others  who  professed  themselves  of  that  faith.  After  many  meetings 
had  been  held  and  regular  church  services  inaugurated  in  the  unused 
Congregational  meeting-house,  discouragement  of  the  deep-blue  type 
gave  way  to  hope,  and  hope  to  strong  faith  supplemented  by  con- 
siderable sight  that  a  forward  movement  might  successfully  be  made. 
A  Sunday-school  was  started,  and  pledges  were  secured  which 
amounted,  with  the  aid  promised  by  the  Home  Mission  Society,  to 
between  eight  and  nine  hundred  dollars  toward  supporting  a  pastor. 
The  Congregational  meeting-house  was  offered  to  the  church  at  a 
nominal  rental ;  and  on  Sunday,  August  12,  1900,  a  call  was  extended 
to  Rev.  F.  A.  Agar,  the  retiring  pastor  at  New  Whatcom. 

LXXI 

Blaine  Church   (1890) 

This  church  is  located  at  Blaine,  in  the  extreme  northwestern 
comer  of  the  Washington  mainland,  adjoining  British  Columbia. 
It  was  organized  by  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  general  missionary,  and  by 
Rev.  E.  G.  Wheeler,  of  chapel  car  Emmanuel  fame,  with  eleven  mem- 
bers, April  27,  1890.  In  June  Rev.  A.  A.  Watson  was  chosen  pastor. 
A  town  of  two  thousand  people  had  grown  up  within  a  year.  Two 
valuable  lots  had  been  donated  to  the  church,  and  the  building  was 
begun  at  once.  Within  a  year  a  house  was  dedicated  costing  $4,200. 
The  depression  in  financial  affairs,  the  resignation  of  the  pastor,  and 
the  failure  of  pledges,  left  the  church  in  December,  1891,  with 
property  valued  at  $5,400  and  a  debt  of  $2,800,  $800  of  which  was 
due  to  the  Home  Mission  Society.  The  church  had  eleven  resident 
and  twenty  non-resident  members,  and  Rev.  J.  E.  Sanders  was  preach- 
ing on  alternate  Sundays,  the  house  being  rented  on  the  other  Sun- 
days to  the  Presbyterians.  The  church  was  admitted  into  the  North- 
western Association  in  1890.  In  1892  there  were  thirty-seven  mem- 
bers, and  the  church  was  pastorless;  prospects  were  discouraging,  but 
they  were  not  without  hope.  In  June,  1893,  there  was  no  delegate  and 
no  report  to  the  Association ;  and  in  October  the  membership  is  given 
as  ten.  From  June,  1894,  to  October,  1897,  inclusive  there  15  no  re- 
port from  the  church  in  the  minutes  of  either  the  Association  or  the 
Convention,  except  that  its  membership  is  given  as  four  in  the  Con- 
vention minutes  of  1895.  In  that  year  the  meeting-house,  on  which 
the  Home  Mission  Society  had  mortgages  to  cover  its  gift  and  loan, 
had  been  for  two  or  three  years  under  the  control  of  a  man  who  had 
a  second  mortgage,  and  it  was  leased  to  the  Episcopalians.   Foreclosure 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  221 

proceedings  were  instituted  to  restore  it  to  the  Baptists.  The  town 
had  declined  as  well  as  the  church.  The  few  faithful  members  re- 
maining held  prayer  meetings  every  Thursday,  at  which  some  persons 
had  been  converted.  This  little  band  did  not  forget  to  make  contri- 
butions to  missions.  The  lots  and  house  of  .worship  were  securely 
their  own,  and  the  debt  was  diminished  to  some  $1,200.  In  May,  1897, 
the  general  missionary.  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper,  writes: 

The  Baptist  church  in  this  place  has  become  extinct  as  an  organi- 
zation, having  had  no  regular  public  services  for  nearly  five  years. 
Notwithstanding  the  discouragements,  three  or  four  sisters  have  sustained 
prayer  meetings  in  their  homes ;  and  have  been  patiently  waiting,  hoping, 
and  praying  for  the  time  to  come  when  the  Baptists  might  be  able  to 
take  up  the  church  work  again.  The  Home  Mission  Society  foreclosed 
its  mortgage,  and  now  owns  the  property.  Last  Sunday  the  writer 
preached  in  the  church,  morning  and  evening,  to  fair-sized  congregations. 
There  are  a  few  Baptists  ready  to  go  on  with  the  work.  Rev.  J.  H. 
Girdwood,  of  Chelsea,  Mich.,  having  recently  come  to  the  coast,  has 
gone  to  Blaine  to  hold  some  special  meetings.  .  .  The  town  of  Blaine 
is  now  about  the  liveliest  business  place  for  the  number  of  its  inhabitants 
(1,500),  to  be  found  on  the  Sound.  The  Alaska  Packing  Association  is 
enlarging  its  cannery  to  be  the  largest  in  the  world,  and  several  others 
will  be  in  operation  this  year. 

In  October,  1898,  Rev.  S.  A.  Abbott  was  pastor,  with  thirty-two 
members.  In  June,  1899,  no  pastor  was  reported  and  ten  members, 
with  a  Sunday-school  of  forty-five.  In  Jvme,  1900,  the  church  reported 
no  pastor  and  no  additions  that  year,  but  kept  up  a  Sunday-school 
and  a  Sunday  morning  prayer  service,  in  the  hope  of  better  things 
in  the  new  century. 

LXXII 

HoQUiAM  Church  (1890) 

It  is  located  at  Hoquiam,  Gray's  Harbor,  and  was  organized 
in  April,  1890,  by  W.  H.  Shearman,  then  a  licentiate,  with  eleven 
members.  In  May  of  the  same  year  Brother  Shearman  was  or- 
dained by  a  council,  of  which  Rev.  G.  J.  Burchett,  pastor  at  Seattle, 
was  moderator,  and  C.  B.  Livermore,  of  Seattle,  was  clerk.  Brother 
Shearman  was  educated  at  Hamilton  and  Louisville,  was  apparently 
an  excellent  young  man,  and  the  outlook  for  the  church  was  full  of 
promise.  Two  lots  were  donated  for  a  building,  and  a  church  was 
partially  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $3,000.  The  depression  in  business 
that  followed  left  both  the  town  and  the  church  stranded  for  the 
time-being.  Before  the  year  closed  Brother  Shearman  moved  to 
Aberdeen,  a  new  town,  four  miles  distant.  The  population  left 
Hoquiam,  with  nearly  all  the  members  of  the  church,  and  nothing 
but  a  heavy  debt  and  a  church  without  assets  remained.  Through 
mismanagement  the  meeting-house  was  lost,  and  the  church  became 
extinct. 

On  August  4,   1893,  ^  "6^V  organization  was  effected  by  Rev. 


222       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

F.  K.  Van  Tassel,  with  five  members.  Before  the  Puget  Sound  Asso- 
ciation met,  seven  were  added  by  baptism  and  four  by  letter.  Brother 
Van  Tassel  preached  each  Sunday  afternoon,  and  conducted  a  prayer 
meeting  weekly.  The  former  meeting-house  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
Northwestern  Lumber  Company. 

August  i8,  1894,  Rev.  C.  D.  Spencer  was  called  as  pastor.  On 
November  29  six  were  baptized;  others  united  by  letter,  so  that  in 
June,  1895,  the  church  had  twenty-eight  members.  Rev.  S.  A. 
Abbott  assisted  the  pastor  in  meetings  and  in  finishing  the  baptistery. 
Rev.  D.  D.  Proper,  the  general  missionary,  was  with  Pastor  Spencer 
on  October  28.  An  effort  was  being  made  to  redeem  the  house  of 
worship.  Although  the  Northwestern  Lumber  Company  estimated  that 
it  had  $2,200  invested  in  the  building,  some  $700  of  which  was  cash 
paid  on  debts  in  order  to  foreclose,  it  agreed  to  let  the  church  have 
the  building  for  $750,  if  paid  at  one  time.  One  hundred  dollars  was 
raised  on  the  field,  and  the  rest  was  obtained  in  gift  and  loan  from 
the  Home  Mission  Society.  An  organ  was  bought  and  paid  for,  and 
improvements  were  made  at  a  cost  of  $100.  There  was  a  Sunday- 
school  and  a  mission  circle,  to  which  every  lady  in  the  church  be- 
longed. The  church  became  noted  for  its  grit  and  devotion,  and 
Brother  Spencer  and  his  family  were  highly  esteemed.  In  1896, 
while  the  Aberdeen  church  was  without  a  pastor,  our  aged  Brother 
Spencer  and  his  wife  supplied  that  church  every  Sunday,  morning  and 
evening,  he  preaching  there  one  Lord's  Day,  and  she  giving  a  Bible 
talk  the  next,  besides  continuing  gospel  meetings  at  Hoquiam  for 
some  weeks,  every  evening.  One  sister  at  Hoquiam,  who  had  long 
been  hindered  from  baptism,  obeyed  her  Lord's  command  to  the  joy 
of  her  heart.  In  October,  1897,  Brother  Spencer  was  still  pastor. 
There  were  thirty-one  members,  forty  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school, 
thirty  in  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union,  and  seventeen  in  the 
mission  circle. 

In  June,  1898,  Rev.  J.  W.  Neyman  became  pastor,  after  the  church 
had  been  pastorless  a  part  of  the  year.  Brother  Spencer  and  his 
family  were  greatly  missed.  The  Sunday-school  and  young  people's 
union  were  reorganized,  and  were  planning  aggressive  work.  Thirty- 
eight  members  were  reported,  twenty-five  of  them  resident  at 
Hoquiam. 

In  1899  and  1900  Rev.  L.  W.  Ross  was  pastor  at  Hoquiam,  and 
the  church  was  strengthened  and  encouraged.  There  were  large 
audiences,  a  larger  Sunday-school,  and  a  cleansed  and  repaired  house. 
Brother  Ross  had  preaching  appointments  at  New  London  and  at 
Gray's  Harbor  City,  as  well  as  at  Hoquiam.  Brother  Ross  writes,  in 
November,  1900,  that  the  church  has  the  finest-looking  meeting-house 
in  the  city.  It  was  newly  painted,  and  he  had  worked  with  the  painter 
building  the  scaffold  and  helping  to  put  the  paint  on.  The  parsonage 
had  been  improved  until  it  was  quite  comfortable.  Several  dead 
weights  had  been  dropped  from  the  church  roll,  and  several  members 


CHURCHES   OF   THE   NORTHWEST  22;^ 

had  removed,  hence  only  forty-four  members   were  reported.     The- 
Sunday-school  enrolment  was  seventy-three. 

LXXIII 
South   Bend   Church    (1890) 

The  location  of  this  church  is  at  South  Bend,  Pacific  County, 
Wash.,  and  it  was  organized  with  four  members  by  Rev.  A. 
Witham,  July  15,  1890.  The  church  at  once  took  up  the  matter  of 
building.  Four  lots  were  donated,  and  a  house  erected  and  dedicated 
July  15,  1891.  Its  cost  was  $1,700,  of  which  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society 
furnished  $400,  the  Home  Mission  Society  $500,  $700  was  raised  by 
subscription,  and  the  remainder  assumed  by  the  trustees.  The  church 
joined  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in  1891,  reporting  a  prayer  meet- 
ing, a  Sunday-school,  and  a  ladies'  aid  society,  all  in  a  flourishing 
condition.  Brother  Witham  served  as  pastor  until  December,  1891, 
when  he  resigned  and  moved  to  Hillsboro,  Ore. 

In  the  summer  of  1892  there  was  no  pastor,  but  a  house  of  wor- 
ship was  dedicated  July  5,  and  at  the  same  time  a  Sunday-school 
and  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  were  organized.  In  October,  1892, 
Rev.  Josiah  Crouch  was  pastor  of  the  South  Bend  Church  jointly 
with  the  one  at  Oysterville.     He  remained  pastor  in  the  summer  of 

1893,  but  in  the  fall  the  church  was  reported  pastorless.     In  June, 

1894,  Rev.  Frank  Ireland  was  pastor.  The  church  had  made  very 
little  progress,  but  was  hopeful  for  the  future.  In  October,  1894, 
there  were  nineteen  members  and  no  pastor.  In  June,  1895,  there  was 
no  report,  and  in  October  the  membership  had  declined  to  ten.  In 
the  summer  of  1896  there  was  no  report,  and  fifteen  members,  with 
no  pastor,  in  the  fall.  There  was  no  report  in  1897  or  in  June,  1898. 
but  in  October,  1898  and  1899,  Rev.  Robert  Yeatman  was  pastor,  with 
fifteen  members. 

In  1900  the  church  is  reported  reorganized  after  several  years 
of  inactivity,  with  eleven  members;  since  increased  to  fourteen,  under 
Rev.  Ralph  L.  Knapp  as  pastor.  He  also  preached  twice  a  month  at 
Willapa.  A  Sunday-school  organized  in  April  was  increasing  in 
interest  and  attendance. 

LXXIV 

Bellingham  or  New  Whatcom  Swedish  Church  (1890) 

This  church  was  organized  on  June  10,  1890,  at  Sehome,  a  sub- 
urb of  Whatcom,  by  Augustus  Sandell,  a  licentiate,  with  ten  members. 
A  lot  was  secured,  and  $400  was  pledged  for  a  building.  A  council 
was  called,  which  recognized  the  church  on  August  5,  1890,  and  ad- 
journed to  meet  on  August  25,  1890,  to  ordain  Brother  Sandell.  Rev. 
E.  M.  Bliss  was  moderator  and  Rev.  J.  F.  Norris,  clerk.  After  a 
satisfactory  examination,  Brother  Sandell  was  set  apart  to  the  work 
of  the  ministry.     The  church  united  with  the  Scandinavian  Confer- 


224       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

ence.  Brother  Sandell  resigned  in  the  summer  of  1891,  leaving  the 
church  with  a  house  completed  and  nearly  paid  for.  When  he  came 
to  Whatcom  in  April,  1890,  he  found  but  one  Swedish  Baptist;  by 
June  he  had  found  ten;  and  since  then  seventeen  others  have  united 
with  the  church.  He  raised  most  of  the  money  for  the  church  build- 
ing outside  of  the  members,  since  the  Americans  esteemed  him  highly. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  Johnson,  who  writes  in  February, 
1894: 

It  is  now  two  years  and  three  months  since  I  began  work  here  and  at 
the  Delta  Church.  Thanks  to  the  noble  Home  Mission  Society,  which  gave 
us  S300  and  $150  as  a  loan,  and  to  the  most  heroic  labors  of  the  people, 
we  have  built  a  house.  The  net  gain  in  membership  has  been  but  nine, 
making  thirt>--three  members  at  present.  Lately  we  have  had  a  few  con- 
versions, and  on  Christmas  Eve  I  baptized  two  young  men,  and  received 
three  to  membership.  The  little  church  at  Delta  has  grown  from  fourteen 
to  twenty-three.  I  have  been  going  to  that  place  but  once  a  month,  but 
on  New  Year's  Day  we  arranged  that  I  should  go  to  each  place  on  alter- 
nate Sundays.  Brethren  were  appointed  at  each  place  to  conduct  meetings 
in  my  absence,  and  a  Sundaj--school  has  been  organized.  We  have  several 
members  at  Ferndale  and  an  outstation  there,  and  brethren  there  have 
begtm  to  hold  regular  Sunday  services. 

From  1893  the  Scandinavian  Conference  ceased  to  exist,  and  the 
New  Whatcom  Church,  in  common  with  the  other  Swedish  churches, 
formed  the  Swedish  Conference.  In  1895  the  church  had  thirty- 
eight  members,  seven  being  added  by  baptism,  while  the  Sunday- 
school  enrolment  was  thirt>'-five.  That  year  Brother  Johnson  preached 
three  Sundays  in  the  month  at  Whatcom,  and  the  third  Sunday  of 
each  month  at  Delta.  He  also  preached  once  a  month  on  a  weekday 
at  West  Ferndale,  eleven  miles  away,  where  lived  thirteen  of  his 
members.  There  was  a  good  Sunday-school  at  Whatcom,  with  Dea. 
P.  Hokanson  as  superintendent.  The  two  other  deacons  were  A.  F. 
Bjurman  and  J.  O.  Lovegren.  The  pastor's  wife  was  the  leader  of 
the  mission  band.  The  young  people  were  too  few  and  too  widely 
scattered  for  effective  organization.  Pastor  Johnson  was  the  bishop 
for  all  the  Swedes  in  W^hatcom  Count)%  who  really  needed  a  traveling 
missionary.    True  heroism  was  manifested  there  by  pastor  and  people. 

In  1897  the  membership  of  the  Whatcom  Swedish  Church  was 
twenty-seven,  and  the  Sunday-school  enrolment  forty-eight.  In  1898 
Rev.  C.  J.  Granquist  was  pastor  at  New  Whatcom  and  Delta,  with  a 
membership  of  twenty-three  and  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  forty. 
In  1900  Rev,  C.  H.  Carlson  was  pastor  of  New  Whatcom  alone,  while 
Brother  Granquist  remained  at  Delta  and  West  Ferndale,  the  latter 
having  grown  as  large  as  the  mother  church. 

LXXV 

MoNTESANO   Church    (1890) 

It  is  located  at  Montesano,  Chehalis  County,  and  was  organized 
by  Revs.  J.  Sunderland  and  W.  P.  Small  wood,  August  2,  1890,  with 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  225 

eight  members.  Rev.  C.  L.  Brownlee  was  called  to  the  pastorate. 
The  church  united  with  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in  1891,  report- 
ing that  an  effort  was  being  made  to  build  under  favorable  conditions. 
In  the  fall  of  this  year  Brother  Brownlee  resigned,  and  there  was 
no  farther  report  from  the  church. 

LXXVI 
Port  Angeles  Church    (1890) 

It  is  located  at  Port  Angeles,  on  the  Strait  of  Fuca,  in  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  State.  It  was  organized  by  Rev.  M.  T. 
Lamb,  September  14,  1890,  with  fourteen  members.  A  Sunday- 
school  was  also  organized,  with  sixty-five  present.  Aid  to  the  amount 
of  $500  was  obtained  from  the  Home  Mission  Society  to  assist  in 
the  support  of  the  pastor.  Work  on  a  house  of  worship  was  taken 
up  at  once ;  and  at  the  end  of  eleven  weeks  from  the  organization  of 
the  church  the  building  was  dedicated.  Although  all  the  members 
were  in  limited  circumstances,  they  made  a  record  for  church 
building. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1891  Brother  Lamb  resigned,  and  the 
church  was  without  a  pastor  until  September,  when  Rev.  M.  U. 
Squire,  of  California,  was  called  to  the  pastorate.  He  remained 
pastor  until  1894.  The  forces  of  the  church  had  rallied  in  1892; 
spiritual  growth  was  evident;  four  had  been  baptized  and  seven 
received  by  letter,  making  thirty-two  members  in  all.  In  1893  thirteen 
were  received,  eight  by  baptism  and  five  by  letter;  and  the  interest 
was  good. 

In  1894-1895  the  church  was  pastorless;  but  in  1896  Rev.  F.  O. 
Lamoreux  was  pastor,  and  in  1897  and  1898  Rev.  W.  A.  Gunton. 
In  1898  eleven  were  baptized  and  six  received  by  letter;  and  there 
was  then  a  membership  of  forty,  with  sixty-nine  in  the  Sunday- 
school.  Pastor  Gunton  was  a  native  of  Ontario,  Canada,  a  graduate 
of  Woodstock  College  and  McMaster  University.  His  first  pastorate 
was  in  Barrie,  Ontario,  where  his  immediate  predecessor.  Rev.  R.  W. 
Trotter,  now  of  Victoria,  B.  C,  says  Brother  Gunton  did  most  excel- 
lent work.  The  church  and  community  at  Port  Angeles  were  much 
attached  to  this  young  pastor  and  his  wife,  the  daughter  of  Rev.  J. 
Ross,  of  Aberdeen.  When  Pastor  Gunton  came  to  Port  Angeles,  he 
found  only  thirteen  names  on  the  church  roll,  and  left  it  with  three 
times  as  many,  mostly  added  by  baptism.  In  1899-1900  the  church 
was  pastorless  again. 

Hitherto  the  church  had  passed  through  ten  years  of  almost 
continuous  struggle,  due  to  the  fluctuation  of  population  more  than 
to  any  other  cause  probably.  Considering  it  an  important  field,  the 
mission  Board  sent  to  it  some  of  its  best  missionaries,  and  used  its 
best  efforts  to  build  up  the  church.  In  1895,  while  the  church  was 
without  a  pastor,  the  general  missionary.  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper,  visited 
p 


226      BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

the  church  twice,  and  reorganized  it  out  of  new  material,,  only  four 
of  the  old  members  being  left.  It  was  recognized  by  a  council  July 
3,  1895,  as  the  Olivet  Church  of  Port  Angeles,  organized  December 
13,  1894.  The  members  who  sustained  it  with  heroic  efforts  will 
doubtless  reap  their  reward  in  due  season. 

LXXVII 

Castle  Rock  Church  (1890) 

This  church  is  located  at  Castle  Rock,  in  Cowlitz  County,  and 
was  organized  with  nine  members  by  Revs.  J.  Sunderland  and  S.  B. 
Chastain,  December  6,  1890.  These  brethren  supplied  the  church 
until  Rev.  Mark  Noble  was  chosen  pastor  in  the  spring  of  189 1.  In 
June  it  reported  its  healthy  and  prosperous  condition  to  the  Puget 
Sound  Association,  and  was  received  as  a  member  of  that  body.  No 
further  data  are  obtainable  up  to  1900,  when  this  history  closes. 

LXXVIII 
Elma  Church  (1890).    (See  No.  VI) 

It  is  located  at  Elma,  in  Chehalis  County,  and  was  organized 
with  twelve  members  by  Rev.  W.  B.  Smallwood  in  December,  1890. 
Soon  after  the  organization,  meetings  were  held  by  Revs.  C.  L. 
Brownlee  and  W.  H.  Shearman,  which  resulted  in  a  general  awaken- 
ing and  reclaiming  of  backsliders,  and  in  three  conversions.  The 
church  built  a  house  of  worship  in  1891. 

This  is  probably  a  resuscitation  of  the  Elma  Church,  which  was 
organized  by  Rev.  R.  Weston,  with  twenty-four  members,  in  June, 
1870,  and  became  a  constituent  member  of  the  Puget  Sound  Associ- 
ation at  Olympia  in  1871.  The  new  church  remained  unassociated. 
In  1891  G.  A.  Robinson,  of  Sharon,  was  clerk;  there  were  ten  mem- 
bers, and  the  value  of  the  church  property  was  $1,000.  In  1893  there 
were  seven  members.    In  1894  and  after  there  was  no  report. 

LXXIX 

Stanwood  Swedish  Church  (1890) 

It  is  located  at  or  near  Stanwood,  and  is  reported  in  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  Swedish  Conference  with  Rev.  Erick  Sjolander  as  pastor, 
but  further  data  are  unknown  to  the  author. 

LXXX 

New  Hope  Church  (1890).     (See  No.  XVIII) 

It  is  located  in  Clarke  County,  and  was  organized  early  in  1890. 
It  was  received  into  the  Columbia  River  Association  May  29,  1890, 
reporting  fifteen  members,  with  Rev.  S.  B.  Chastain  as  pastor.     In 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  227 

December  of  the  same  year  it  was  reported  to  have  been  consolidated 
with  the  Mountain  View  and  Mount  Zion  churches  under  the  name 
of  the  New  Hope  Baptist  Church.  After  this  action,  Brother  Chas- 
tain  held  meetings  which  resulted  in  several  conversions. 

LXXXI 
Rolling  Bay  Church  (1891) 

This  is  a  Norwegian-Danish  church,  located  at  Hartline,  Franklin 
County,  Wash.  It  was  organized  in  March,  1891,  and  was  received 
into  the  Scandinavian  Conference  the  same  year,  reporting  seventeen 
members.  In  1892  thirteen  members  were  reported  without  a  pastor, 
and  the  membership  remains  about  the  same,  slowly  declining,  until 
in  1900  there  are  seven  without  a  pastor.  In  1893  the  church  was 
listed  among  the  unassociated ;  but  in  1895  it  assisted  in  forming 
the  new  Norwegian-Danish  Conference.  In  1898  and  1899  Rev.  O. 
L.  Hoien  was  reported  as  pastor.  A  Sunday-school  was  maintained 
from  1897  to  1900  with  an  enrolment  varying  from  twenty-eight  to 
sixteen. 

LXXXII 
Pearson  Swedish  Church  (1891) 

This  church  was  located  at  Pearson,  Kitsap  County,  and  was 
organized  some  time  in  1890  or  1891,  the  date  not  being  available. 

It  first  appears  in  the  list  of  delegates  to  the  Northwest  Con- 
vention in  August,  1891.  In  1893  it  assisted  in  organizing  the 
Swedish  Conference,  and  reported  twenty-five  members,  with  Rev. 
F.  O.  Lonn  as  pastor.  In  October,  1895,  Rev.  A.  O.  Lundquist  was 
pastor,  and  the  membership  had  increased  to  thirty-two,  with  four 
baptisms.  In  1900  Rev.  A.  Johnson  was  pastor;  and  there  were  forty 
members,  with  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  the  same  number.  As 
there  was  no  other  church  service  in  the  place,  Pastor  Johnson 
preached  each  Sunday  morning  in  English,  thus  giving  the  gospel  to 
many  who  would  not  otherwise  receive  it.  Large  and  interested 
audiences  showed  their  appreciation  of  this  service.  The  work  among 
the  Swedish  people  was  also  in  a  hopeful  condition. 

LXXXIII 

Tacoma  Olivet  Church.    Colored  (1891) 

It  was  located  at  Tacoma,  on  Tenth  Street,  near  Yakima  Avenue. 
It  was  organized  February  5,  1891,  with  sixteen  members,  by  a 
council  from  the  Baptist  churches  of  Tacoma,  Rev.  W.  P.  Squires 
being  moderator,  and  E.  K.  Christie,  clerk.  This  council  was  called  at 
the  request  of  Rev.  A.  W.  Green  (colored),  who  became  the  first 
pastor  of  the  Olivet  Church.  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  D.  D..  pastor  of  the 
Tacoma  First  Church,  and  Rev.  A.  Johnson,  of  the  Swedish  church, 


22S      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

were  members  of  the  council.  Members  of  the  First  Cliurch  and 
others  who  were  present  were  invited  to  sit  with  the  council.  A  list 
of  sixteen  names  was  presented  of  colored  persons  who  had  adopted 
the  New  Hampshire  Confession  of  Faith,  and  these  persons  were  by 
vote  of  the  council  declared  to  be  entitled  to  constitute  a  Baptist 
church.  This  church  elected  C.  Metcalf  as  deacon,  Joseph  Mims  as 
clerk,  Levi  Copeland  as  treasurer,  and  Rev.  A.  W.  Green  as  pastor. 
The  church  decided  to  adopt  the  name  of  the  Olivet  Baptist  Church 
of  Tacoma.  Brother  Green  entered  upon  his  work  with  enthusiasm 
and  hopefulness.  Members  of  the  council  said  of  him  that  he  was 
a  natural  preacher  of  no  mean  power. 

The  church  was  organized  anew  in  August,  1892,  by  Rev.  W.  F. 
Harper  and  Rev.  S.  Bates,  of  St.  Louis,  Mo.  Brother  Bates  was 
chosen  pastor,  remaining  for  five  months,  when  he  returned  to  the 
East,  and  was  followed  by  Rev.  Thomas  Smith,  of  Illinois,  who  was 
still  pastor  in  1895.  The  church  purchased  a  comfortable  house  of 
worship  from  the  Episcopalians  (High  Church)  for  the  paltry  sum 
of  $100.  Preaching  services  and  the  Bible-school  were  held  on 
Sundays,  and  a  prayer  meeting  on  Wednesday  evenings. 

When  the  church  first  appears  in  the  Convention  minutes  in 
1896,  Rev.  R.  W.  Jennison  was  pastor,  with  twelve  members  and  a 
church  property  valued  at  $400.  These  statistics  are  recorded  in  the 
table  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association.  Pastor  Jennison  remained  with 
the  church  in  1897  and  in  1898,  when  the  membership  had  declined  to 
ten.  In  1899  no  pastor  was  given,  the  membership  was  nine,  the 
Sunday-school  enrolment  was  twenty-seven,  and  the  property  was 
valued  at  $500.    In  1900  there  was  no  record  of  the  church. 

;  LXXXIV 

Black  Diamond  Church   (1891) 

The  location  of  this  church  is  at  Black  Diamond,  King  County, 
and  it  was  organized  with  nineteen  members  by  Rev.  J.  Sunderland. 
February  8,  189 1.  Two  or  three  years  before  the  place  had  been 
visited  by  Revs.  D.  J.  Pierce  and  E.  G.  Wheeler,  who  found  twenty 
Baptists;  but  for  some  reason  the  work  was  not  taken  up.  Mean- 
while, a  Congregational  minister  had  come  in  and  organized  a  union 
church;  but  the  Baptist  element  could  not  affiliate  with  such  an  or- 
ganization; and  finally  a  Baptist  church  was  organized.  Brother 
Sunderland,  finding  that  Rev.  H.  P.  Hughes,  the  Congregational 
minister,  had  become  a  Baptist,  baptized  him,  and  received  him  into 
the  Baptist  church.  A  council  was  called,  and  Brother  Hughes  was 
ordained  as  pastor  on  November  17,  1891,  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper  acting 
as  moderator  and  Rev.  W.  P.  Squires  as  clerk.  Black  Diamond  is 
a  mining  town,  whose  people  are  mostly  Welsh;  and  Brother  Hughes 
preached  to  them,  both  in  Welsh  and  in  English.  A  union  meeting- 
house had  been  built,  in  which  the  services  of  the  two  churches  were 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  229 

alternately  held;  the  Baptist  people  built  a  parsonage,  and  for  a 
time  the  church  was  prosperous. 

The  church  was  received  into  the  Northwestern  Association  in 
1891,  reporting  the  outlook  hopeful.  In  1892  Brother  Hughes  was 
still  preaching  for  the  church,  and  the  membership  had  increased  to 
thirty-one.  The  Sunday-school  was  of  necessity  a  union  school,  as 
all  worshiped  in  the  union  church  building.  The  school  was  flour- 
ishing, had  an  enrolment  of  one  hundred  and  two,  and  the  Baptists 
were  doing  their  full  share  in  sustaining  it. 

In  1893  the  church  had  no  pastor,  and  in  1894  and  1895  it  made 
no  report.  In  1896  Rev.  W.  H.  Woodley  was  pastor,  and  seems  to 
have  continued  pastor  until  1900.  This  church  is  hampered  by  a 
land  company  controlling  the  town,  and  by  a  union  church  in  which 
the  Congregationalists  appear  to  be  favored  by  the  company. 

LXXXV 

Hopewell  or   Ethel   Church    (1891) 

This  church  was  located  at  Ethel  Post-office,  seven  miles  above 
Toledo,  in  Lewis  County.  It  was  organized  in  April,  1891,  with 
thirteen  members,  by  Rev.  J.  Philips,  who  became  its  pastor  for  the 
ensuing  year.  It  came  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in  1894, 
when  M.  W.  Miller  was  pastor,  with  a  membership  of  seventeen, 
though  there  had  been  twenty-nine  the  year  previous.  The  Sunday- 
school  enrolment  in  1894  was  forty.  In  October,  1895,  the  Convention 
statistics  give  the  Hopewell  church  still  seventeen  members;  but 
after  that  there  is  no  further  record  of  the  church  to  the  end  of  the 
century. 

LXXXVI 
Olympia  Temple  Church  (1891) 

The  Olympia  Temple  Church  is  located  on  Ninth  Street,  between 
Main  and  Washington  Streets,  and  was  organized  in  1891  by  Rev. 
J.  C.  Douglass,  with  eighteen  members  dismissed  from  the  First 
Church  for  that  purpose.  Early  in  its  work  it  reported  a  Sunday- 
school  of  eighty  members,  a  mission  school  of  fifty,  a  meeting-house 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $2,000,  a  mission  chapel  valued  at  $600,  a  Ladies* 
Aid  Society,  a  Band  of  Willing  Helpers,  and  the  largest  Young 
People's  Society  in  the  Puget  Sound  Association.  It  also  reported  a 
fund  set  apart  for  disposal  by  the  deacons  to  aid  needy  ministers  and 
their  families.  The  church  also  contributed  to  the  Ministers'  Fund 
of  the  Association,  and  reported  itself  heartily  in  accord  with  the 
support  of  home  and  foreign  missions  and  other  denominational  in- 
terests. Rev.  J.  C.  Douglass  was  the  pastor.  In  August,  1S91,  the 
Northwest  Convention  adopted  the  report  that  the  Temple  Baptist 
Church  of  Olympia  be  reorganized  as  a  co-operating  church,  with 
visiting  delegates;  and  in  June,  1892,  it  was  received  into  the  Puget 


230      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Sound  Association  as  a  regularly  constituted  Baptist  church,  report- 
ing a  year  of  labor  and  great  blessings.  It  had  built  a  house  of 
worship  in  the  central  part  of  the  city,  and  dedicated  it  March  6,  1892. 
This,  with  the  mission  chapel  on  the  west  side,  gave  the  church 
two  very  good  houses  of  worship.  In  October,  1892,  Rev.  W.  H. 
Shearman  was  pastor,  with  seventy-two  members,  forty  of  them 
added  by  baptism,  and  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  one  hundred 
and  seventy-one.  In  June,  1893,  Brother  Shearman  was  still  pastor, 
and  the  church  reported  that  the  Christian  character  of  the  members, 
who  were  mostly  young,  had  been  strengthened  and  developed,  and 
that  the  faithful  instructions  of  the  pastor  out  of  the  Scriptures  had 
been  greatly  blessed  to  this  end.  In  October  there  were  seventy-two 
members  without  a  pastor.  In  June,  1894,  the  Olympia  First  and  the 
Olympia  Temple  churches  were  one  church,  incorporated  as  the 
Olympia  Central  Baptist  Church.  On  May  3,  1894,  the  entire  mem- 
bership of  the  Temple  Church,  sixty-three  in  number,  united  by 
letter  with  the  First  Church;  the  new  Central  Church  was  incorpo- 
rated and  the  property  duly  deeded  over  to  it.  In  a  blessed  series  of 
meetings,  conducted  by  Rev.  C.  C.  Marston,  who  later  became  pastor, 
the  church  was  greatly  revived,  and  seventeen  were  added  by  bap- 
tism and  six  by  letter.    The  work  in  all  departments  was  prospering. 

LXXXVII 
Franklin  Church.    Colored  (1891) 

It  is  located  at  Franklin,  three  miles  above  Black  Diamond.  It 
was  organized  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Thomas,  June  7,  1891.  In  December 
of  the  same  year  the  church  reported  having  forty  members.  The 
church  licensed  a  Brother  Bates.  Franklin  is  a  coal-mining  town, 
and  these  colored  people  were  brought  there  to  work  in  the  mines. 
As  there  were  many  Baptists  among  them,  a  Baptist  church  was 
organized. 

In  1894  the  Franklin  church  was  reported  in  the  tables  of  the 
Northwestern  Convention  as  having  fourteen  members  under  Rev. 
C.  M.  Williams  as  pastor,  with  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  thirty. 
In  1895  and  1896  Rev.  E.  M.  Matthews  was  reported  as  pastor,  with 
about  a  dozen  members  and  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  thirty- 
nine.  In  1897  fifteen  members  were  reported,  with  a  Sunday-school 
enrolment  of  twenty,  and  an  average  attendance  of  sixteen.  We 
find  no  further  report  of  the  church. 

LXXXVIII 

Delta  Swedish  Church   (1891) 

This  church  appears  in  the  Convention  minutes  for  1892  with 
fourteen  members.  Rev.  Andrew  Johnson  being  pastor  there  and  at 
New  Whatcom,   where   he   resided.     In    1893   the  pastor  reports   a 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  23 1 

good  work  at  Delta,  some  having  been  received  there  by  baptism.  ' 
In  1894  the  little  church  at  Delta  had  grown  from  fourteen  to  twenty- 
four  members,  and  there  was  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  twenty. 
Hitherto,  Pastor  Johnson  had  been  preaching  there  but  one  Sunday 
each  month;  but  with  the  new  year  of  1894  he  began  giving  the  Delta 
church  every  other  Sunday.  In  1895  the  deacons  of  the  Delta 
church  were  J.  G.  Johnson  and  O.  Engman.  The  members  were 
earnest  and  devoted,  but  the  times  were  hard,  many  being  out  of  em- 
ployment. In  1897  there  were  twenty-three  members,  with  a  Sunday- 
school  enrolment  of  thirty.  From  1898  to  1900  inclusive.  Rev.  C.  J. 
Granquist  was  pastor  at  Delta,  New  Whatcom,  and  West  Ferndale. 
In  1898  there  were  twenty-two  members,  with  a  Sunday-school  of 
thirty-five;  and,  in  1900,  there  were  twenty-nine  members  and  a 
Sunday-school  enrolment  of  forty-eight. 

LXXXIX 

Aberdeen  Church  (1891) 

It  ir?  located  on  Gray's  Harbor,  Chehalis  County,  Wash.  It  was 
organized  June  14,  1891,  by  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper,  general  missionary, 
and  Rev.  W.  H.  Shearman,  acting  pastor,  with  ten  members.  A 
Sunday-school  of  sixty  pupils  was  organized.  In  the  fall  of  the  same 
year  a  revival  meeting  was  held,  in  which  the  pastor  was  assisted 
by  Revs.  Thomas  Baldwin  and  A.  A.  Witham.  Quite  a  number 
of  conversions  were  reported  with  hopeful  conditions;  but  soon  the 
bottom  fell  out  of  the  "  boom,"  and  the  church  was  left  stranded 
for  the  time  being. 

When  the  church  came  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in 
1892,  Rev.  W.  H.  Shearman  was  the  missionary  pastor.  In  the  year 
there  had  been  six  added  to  the  church  by  baptism,  thirty-eight  other 
additions,  and  eleven  diminutions,  making  the  membership  thirty- 
three. 

In  1893  Rev.  F.  K.  Van  Tassel  became  missionary  pastor.  Re- 
vival meetings  were  conducted  by  Rev.  O.  B.  Reed,  of  Los  Angeles, 
Cal.,  for  three  weeks  from  July  17,  1893.  Twelve  were  con- 
verted the  first  week,  several  times  twelve  the  second  week.  The 
Baptist  meeting-house  was  close  to  the  business  center,  and  had 
seating  capacity  for  two  hundred  and  fifty,  and  was  convenient  for 
evangelistic  services.  It  had  been  the  school  building,  but  the  town 
Board  voted  that  the  Baptist  church  should  have  free  use  of  it  for  a 
year.  In  1894  there  were  fifty-four  members,  and  the  church  was 
prospering  in  every  way,  though  times  were  hard  financially.  The 
young  people  gave  entertainments  to  raise  funds,  and  a  class  of 
little  girls  in  the  Sunday-school,  called  "  Willing  Workers,"  sur- 
prised Pastor  Van  Tassel  by  presenting  him  with  a  chair  for  the 
pulpit,  paid  for  out  of  their  earnings.  In  1895  there  were  sixty- 
seven  members,  owning  a  pulpit,  an  organ,  and  some  chairs,  but  no 


232       BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

house,  and  still  using,  free  of  rent,  the  old  schoolhouse  in  the  heart  of 
the  town.  In  the  two  years  that  Brother  Van  Tassel  had  been  pastor, 
he  had  received  thirty-six  members,  twenty-six  of  them  by  baptism, 
besides  nine  baptized  at  Hoquiam.  He  had  over  thirty  years  of 
experience  in  pastoral  and  evangelistic  work.  He  was  a  most 
genial  and  sympathetic  friend,  pretty  jovial  for  a  preacher,  well 
versed  in  human  nature  as  well  as  in  Scripture,  with  a  keen  sense  of 
justice,  a  love  of  righteousness,  and  an  abhorrence  of  shams.  He 
was  highly  esteemed  in  the  community ;  and  when  he  spoke  of  leaving 
the  field,  several  outsiders  pledged  their  financial  support,  if  that  was 
needed  to  retain  him. 

In  1896  the  church  was  for  a  time  without  a  pastor,  and  the 
preaching  was  supplied  by  various  brethren.  Rev.  S.  A.  Abbott  was 
feeding  the  hungry  church  on  the  milk  and  meat  of  the  word  in 
January,  and  the  church  was  disappointed  at  not  being  able  to  keep 
him,  but  tried  to  follow  his  advice  to  keep  up  all  the  church  services. 
Brothers  Christie  and  Griswold  came  from  the  Tacoma  First  Church 
with  license  to  preach,  and  faithfully  held  up  Christ.  In  October, 
1896  and  1897,  Rev.  R.  Ross  was  pastor,  but  both  membership  and 
Sunday-school  enrolment  dwindled.  Still  there  were  forty-eight 
members,  forty-five  in  the  Sunday-school,  twenty  in  the  Young 
People's  Union,  and  nine  in  the  mission  circle. 

In  the  fall  of  1898  Rev.  J.  W.  Neyman  was  called  to  minister  to 
Aberdeen  and  Hoquiam  as  their  missionary  pastor;  and  in  1899  Rev. 
W.  H.  Gibson  was  pastor  at  Aberdeen  and  Rev.  L.  W.  Ross  pastor 
at  Hoquiam.  Conversions  and  accessions  to  the  membership  were 
reported  at  Aberdeen ;  a  house  of  worship  was  built  and  dedicated  to 
the  Lord,  free  of  debt,  on  April  30,  at  a  cost  of  $1,223.54,  of  which 
the  Home  Mission  Society  gave  $300.  The  membership  increased  to 
sixty-nine  and  the  Sunday-school  enrolment  to  one  hundred  and  two, 
and  large  audiences  were  reported  at  all  services,  the  average  at- 
tendance at  preaching  being  one  hundred  and  thirty,  and  at  prayer 
meeting  seventy-four.  Pastor  Gibson's  leadership  was  both  practical 
and  inspiring.  The  united  and  devoted  church  was  far  exceeding  its 
highest  expectations.  The  future  was  promising,  for  both  church  and 
pastor  had  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  the  community.  It  was  a 
joy  to  witness  the  decisions  made  there  to  lead  the  Christian  life. 
This  year  the  church  welcomed  the  Puget  Sound  x\ssociation.  The 
year  was  full  of  blessing,  and  all  branches  of  the  work  were  carried 
on  aggressively. 

XC 
Second  Centralia  Baptist  Church    (1891) 

Located  in  Centralia,  Chehalis  County.  Organized  early  in  1891. 
Bro.  Geo.  Washington  (colored)  is  the  chief  patron  of  the  church. 
He  has  built  for  it  a  fine  meeting-house  costing  about  $2,500. 
It  was  dedicated  August  16,  1891,  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks  preaching  the 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  233 

sermon.  Brother  Washington  is  also  a  strong  friend  of  Grace 
Seminary.  In  October  Rev.  E.  B.  Sullivan  was  pastor,  with  good 
congregations,  and  prospects  encouraging.    Unassociated. 

XCI 

SuMAS  Baptist  Church   (1891) 

Located  on  the  line  between  Washington  and  British  Columbia 
on  the  Washington  and  British  Columbia  Railroad.  Organized  with 
eleven  members  by  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper,  September  13,  189 1.  The 
church  has  not  come  into  any  Association. 

XCII 

The  Lyman   Church 

In  the  minutes  of  the  Northwestern  Convention  a  church  of 
eight  members  is  reported  at  Lyman,  and  in  the  Pacific  Baptist  it  is 
stated  that  Rev.  P.  H.  Harper  had  organized  a  church  of  eight  mem- 
bers about  three  miles  from  La  Center,  but  excepting  these  items 
little  or  nothing  is  known  respecting  this  body. 

XCIII 

Napavine  Church  (1892) 

This  body  is  located  at  Napavine,  a  small  town  on  the  Xorthern 
Pacific  Railway,  between  Chehalis  and  Winlock,  in  Lewis  County.  It 
was  organized  with  seven  members  January  6,  1892,  with  Rev.  W. 
Blanchard  as  pastor,  and  was  recognized  April  28,  1892,  at  which 
time  it  had  enrolled  twenty-five  members.  When  received  into  the 
Puget  Sound  Association  in  June,  1892,  it  reported  a  house  of  wor- 
ship twenty-five  feet  by  forty-four,  erected  and  paid  for.  This 
church  grew  out  of  the  work  of  Rev.  E.  G.  Wheeler  and  wife,  in 
the  chapel  car  Evangel.  In  1895  Rev.  E.  M.  Bliss  was  preaching 
to  this  church  twice  a  month.  In  October,  1896,  Rev.  Isaiah 
Phillips  was  pastor.  There  were  twenty-three  church-members,  and 
the  Sunday-school  enrolled  forty-one.  In  1897  the  church  was 
without  a  pastor,  and  in  1898-1900  there  were  no  reports  or  statistics. 

XCIV 

Snohomish  Church  (1892) 

It  was  located  on  the  Snohomish  River,  about  forty  miles  from 
Seattle,  in  Snohomish  County.  It  was  organized  by  Rev.  D.  J. 
Pierce,  D.  D.,  and  Rev.  E.  G.  Wheeler,  of  the  chapel  car  Evangel, 
April  7,  1892,  with  twenty-nine  members,  and  came  into  the  North- 
western Association  the  same  year,  in  June,  with  thirty-six  members. 


234       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Brother  Pierce  was  the  first  pastor,  and  was  succeeded  in  1893  by 
Rev.  J.  Cairns,  under  whom  there  were,  in  1894,  sixty-one  members. 
Pastor  Cairns  writes  in  September :  "  I  had  the  privilege  of  burying 
with  Christ  in  baptism,  here  in  Snohomish,  four  happy  converts  last 
Thursday,  August  31.  The  youngest  was  fifteen  and  the  oldest 
sixty-seven,  and  another  between  fifty  and  sixty.  They  all  believed, 
obeyed,  and  rejoiced." 

In  1895  we  find  that  the  church  had  eighty-six  members,  though 
fifteen  were  non-resident.  Five  were  awaiting  baptism.  Brother 
Cairns  had  been  laboring  prosperously  for  twenty-eight  months  on 
this  field.  He  came  to  this  field,  which  was  acknowledged  to  be  one 
of  the  hardest  fields  in  the  State,  in  his  seventieth  year,  after  a 
severe  illness  of  several  months.  The  town  had  twenty-six  saloons 
for  its  three  thousand  people,  and  the  church  had  but  few  members ; 
but  he  soon  built  up  a  spiritual  body.  Many  of  the  members  were 
young  men.  The  people  of  the  town  became  a  churchgoing  people, 
and  the  number  of  saloons  dropped  to  eleven.  The  church  was  well 
organized  for  work,  and  was  truly  alive.  There  was  a  good  Sunday- 
school,  a  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  of  forty  members,  a  Junior 
Young  People's  Union,  a  woman's  mission  society,  an  aid  society, 
two  cottage  prayer  meetings  conducted  by  the  young  people,  and  a 
mission  Sunday-school,  which  was  also  under  their  direction.  Al- 
though the  church  was  meeting  in  a  hall,  and  sadly  needed  a  house  of 
worship,  it  had  contributed  $38  to  foreign  missions  and  $40  to  home 
missions  in  one  quarter.  The  same  year  a  grant  of  $400  from  the 
Hopie  Mission  Society  enabled  the  church  to  purchase,  free  of  all 
indebtedness,  property  worth  $5,000,  which  answered  both  for  a 
parsonage  and  a  meeting-house. 

In  1899  Brother  Cairns  was  succeeded  in  the  pastorate  by  Rev. 
P.  G.  Rogers,  who  resigned  in  October,  1900,  and  was  followed 
by  Pastor  C.  M.  Cline,  the  membership  standing  at  sixty. 

XCV" 

Fremont  Church  (1892) 

This  church  was  located  at  Fremont,  King  County,  and  was  or- 
ganized with  twenty-six  members  by  Rev.  E.  G.  Wheeler,  of  the 
chapel  car  Evangel,  March  20,  1892.  It  was  represented  the  same 
year  in  the  Northwest  Convention,  and  in  June,  1893,  came  into  the 
Northwestern  Association,  with  Rev.  W.  H.  Black  pastor.  He 
reports,  March  26,  1892: 

The  work  here  is  very  encouraging;  we  have  the  church  thoroughly 
organized ;  we  have  received  five  persons  for  baptism  since  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  church ;  three  of  these  were  immersed  in  the  baptistery  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  of  Seattle  at  the  close  of  services  last  Sunday 
evening ;  they  were  a  very  valuable  addition ;  we  expect  others  to  unite 
with  us  soon.     The  church  has  rented  a  store  building  in  Fremont  and 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  235 

fitted  it  up  nicely  for  the  services.  We  have  a  Baptist  Sunday-school  and' 
prayer  meetings,  and  are  fully  equipped  for  aggressive  work.  The  Fre- 
mont Church  has  a  bright  future.  The  writer  preaches  for  the  church 
every  Sunday  morning  at  eleven  o'clock. 

Brother  Black  resigned  the  pastorate  the  same  year,  and  a 
council  was  called  on  March  31,  1893,  by  the  Fremont  church,  for 
the  examination  and  ordination  of  Bro.  C.  A.  Salyer,  pastor-elect. 
Rev.  D.  D.  Proper,  the  general  missionary,  was  moderator  of  the 
council,  and  Rev.  F.  F.  Whitcomb,  of  Kent,  was  clerk.  After  a 
most  careful  examination  the  brother  was  approved  for  ordination. 
He  was  ordained  at  the  hour  of  evening  service.  Brother  Proper 
preaching  the  sermon,  while  the  prayer  of  ordination  and  the  charge 
to  the  candidate  were  by  Rev.  G.  J.  Burchett. 

Pastor  Salyer  resigned  about  January  i,  1894,  and  for  a  time 
Bro.  W.  R.  Burrel,  of  the  so-called  Baptist  university,  supplied 
the  pulpit  Sunday  morning  and  evening.  Being  a  good  speaker,  a 
lover  of  the  truth,  and  a  hard  and  earnest  worker,  he  won  a  warm 
place  in  the  hearts  of  the  members  of  the  church.  About  March  i 
the  church  decided  to  change  its  location  nearer  to  the  business  part 
of  town,  and  moved  about  April  i. 

Rev.  George  W.  Burnham,  of  Dodgeville,  N.  Y.,  formerly  a  pastor 
in  Seattle,  was  called  to  begin  work  May  13,  1894.  He  was  to  come 
without  a  stated  salary,  trusting  to  the  collections.  About  this  time 
Brother  Burrel  was  ordained  to  work  among  the  French  Catholics 
in  southern  Canada. 

In  October,  1895,  Rev.  N.  W.  Fletcher  was  pastor,  and  also  in 
1896.  Bro.  Theodore  Maynard  was  pastor  in  October,  1898.  For 
a  time  the  church  met  in  the  Presbyterian  house  and  afterward  in  a 
store. 

In  1899,  when  Rev.  J.  Cairns  became  pastor,  there  were  twenty- 
eight  members  in  the  Fremont  church,  with  very  little  of  this  world's 
goods;  but  with  faith  and  prayer  and  trust  in  God,  the  work  of  build- 
ing a  house  of  worship  was  undertaken  and  completed  at  a  cost  of 
over  $3,200,  which  was  all  provided;  and  $500  more  was  invested  in 
furniture.  The  house  is  forty-four  by  sixty-six  feet,  and  has  a  good 
baptistery,  dressing-rooms,  etc.  It  was  dedicated  March  24,  1901, 
with  a  masterly  sermon  by  Rev.  William  E.  Randall,  the  general 
missionary,  from  Ps.  ^2'.  16,  and  one  by  Rev.  L.  S.  Bowerman,  pastor 
of  the  Seattle  First  Church,  in  the  evening.  In  cash  and  pledges, 
$500  was  raised  that  day ;  and  the  last  of  the  debt  had  been  provided 
for  when  the  pastor  offered  the  dedicatory  prayer.  The  Home  Mis- 
sion Society  gave  $250,  and  the  Baptist  churches  of  Seattle,  Everett, 
and  other  places  gave  substantial  aid. 

The  building  of  this  house  of  worship  was  one  of  the  most 
strenuous  efforts  of  that  most  remarkable  church  builder,  Rev.  J. 
Cairns.  More  than  once  he  was  face  to  face  with  failure,  as  some 
thought  and  said.     Where  others  saw  failure.  Brother  Cairns,  with 


236      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

his  faith  unshaken,  saw  success.  For  some  reason  he  found  it  very 
difficult  to  obtain  aid  from  the  church  edifice  fund;  but  his  personal 
appeals  and  his  high  standing  with  the  Home  Mission  Society  finally 
brought  the  needed  help.  It  was  only  the  unyielding  efforts  of  this 
man  of  God,  who  refused  to  recognize  defeat,  that  brought  to  a 
successful  issue  this  enterprise,  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  joy  of  the 
churches. 

XCVI 
Everett  First  Church   (1892) 

The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Everett  was  organized  by  Rev.  E.  G, 
Wheeler,  of  the  chapel  car  Evangel,  and  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  D.  D., 
on  the  seventeenth  of  April,  1892,  with  thirteen  members.  The 
church  was  received  into  the  Northwestern  Association  the  same 
year,  with  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  as  pastor  reporting  twenty-three  mem- 
bers. There  was  already  a  Sunday-school  with  fifteen  pupils  enrolled, 
and  hopeful  conditions  prevailed. 

In  1893  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks  succeeded  Doctor  Pierce,  and  forty- 
nine  members  were  reported  in  the  church,  with  an  average  attend- 
ance of  forty-five  in  the  Sunday-school.  Here,  in  this  thriving  manu- 
facturing town,  the  growth  of  one  of  our  strong  and  influential 
churches  had  begun. 

In  1894  the  church  had  increased  to  one  hundred  members,  and 
the  Sunday-school  had  an  enrolment  of  one  hundred  and  fifty.  This 
year  Doctor  Banks  resigned,  and  Rev.  W.  C.  Weir  was  installed  as 
pastor.  In  1895  the  church  reported  a  membership  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty-seven,  and  the  organization  of  a  young  people's  society 
with  ten  members.  The  church  would  seem  to  be  at  a  standstill  in 
1896,  reporting  the  same  membership  as  in  1895.  In  1897  the  church 
reported  one  hundred.  This  would  seem  to  show  little  progress,  but 
in  these  growing  cities  and  in  this  country  where  so  many  people  are 
moving  on,  losses  by  letter  and  by  removal,  as  well  as  by  death, 
often  play  havoc  with  statistics. 

There  was  a  change  of  pastorate  again  in  1898  by  the  resignation 
of  Brother  Weir,  and  the  calling  of  Bro.  W.  G.  Jones,  who  re- 
ports to  the  Association  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  church-members 
and  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  one  hundred  and  eighty;  and,  in 
1899,  there  were  one  hundred  and  forty-seven  church-members,  with 
a  total  raised  for  current  expenses  of  $1,370,  and  property  valued  at 
$3,600. 

The  founding  of  this  church  was  in  many  ways  unique,  and  was 
first  so  in  the  men  who  organized  the  church.  There  was  the  every- 
where present  local  itinerant  district  general  missionary,  Rev.  D.  J. 
Pierce,  D.  D.,  who  had  succeeded  in  switching  off  the  chapel  car 
Evangel,  advertised  as  carrying  good  tidings  of  great  joy  for  this  city 
of  four  thousand  people.    Then  there  was  the  cultured  conductor  of 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  237 

the  car  and  his  wife,  whose  reputation  for  a  high  order  of  Christian 
service  and  devotion  had  preceded  them.  Rev.  E.  G.  Wheeler,  the 
conductor,  was  Hke  a  general.  Doctor  Pierce  was  like  a  scout.  No 
wonder  they  could  stir  up  the  city  until  the  people  were  saying, 
*'  What  meaneth  this  ?  "  They  came  to  the  car  and  afterward  to  the 
tent  and  hall  to  hear  the  good  news  of  Jesus,  for  that  was  the 
message  of  the  scout  and  the  general  and  his  forces,  in  car  or  tent  or 
hall,  in  song,  prayer,  exhortation,  persuasion,  or  testimony.  It  was 
religion  by  rail,  but  it  was  pure  and  undefiled.  Thus  the  religion  of 
the  Baptist  church  of  Everett,  from  its  natal  day,  was  real,  blessed, 
spiritual. 

Again  the  church  had  a  unique  promise  of  help.  It  must  have  a 
pastor  to  lead  in  the  worship  of  God,  and  a  building  to  worship  in; 
and  for  a  stimulus  it  had  the  promise  of  a  $14,000  church  edifice, 
which  was  to  be  erected  and  turned  over  to  the  church  free,  as  soon 
as  the  church  could  pay  its  pastor  a  salary  of  $1,500  a  year.  This 
promise  was  reported  to  come  from  C.  S.  Colby,  one  of  our  wealthy 
and  liberal  Eastern  brethren.  He  was  said  to  be  connected  with  John 
D.  Rockefeller  in  the  building  of  Everett.  They  and  their  compeers 
had  already  invested  over  a  million  dollars  in  manufacturing  plants 
and  had  large  holdings  in  the  city  and  adjacent  to  it.  The  following 
statement  was  made  in  July,  1897: 

In  response  to  inquiries  made  by  citizens  of  Everett  concerning  the 
willingness  of  Mr.  Colby  and  his  friends  to  aid  in  erecting  and  support- 
ing a  Baptist  church  in  Everett,  Mr.  G.  S.  Brown,  the  secretary  of  the 
Everett  Land  Company,  representing  Mr.  Colby  and  his  friends,  expresses 
their  willingness  to  erect  a  frame,  brick,  or  stone  church  on  the  lot  set 
apart  for  that  purpose  whenever  the  local  society  is  able  to  support  a 
pastor;  adding  that,  if  necessary,  they  would  erect  a  chapel  this  fall  (1897) 
and  follow  with  a  church  as  soon  as  needful. 

The  lot  set  apart  was  on  the  corner  of  Wall  Street  and  Rocke- 
feller Street,  overlooking  the  sound  on  the  west  and  the  river  on  the 
east.  According  to  the  Everett  Herald,  the  Wall  Street  millionaires 
had  already  invested  jn  manufacturing  plants  $1,501,000;  and  a  con- 
tract had  been  let  to  grade  ten  miles  of  streets. 

With  such  promises  and  conditions  it  was  very  natural  for  the 
church  to  grow  into  high  ideals;  and  these  entered  very  largely  into 
the  call  of  Doctor  Banks  to  the  pastorate.  He  was  the  man  of  all 
the  men  on  the  Convention  field  to  grasp  and  promote  high  ideals. 
He  found  the  church  worshiping  in  a  hall  on  the  second  floor  in  the 
east  end  of  the  town,  and  his  great  work  in  Everett  was  the  erection 
of  a  church  building.  Finding  the  lot  reserved  by  the  Everett  Land 
Company  not  favorably  located  for  church  purposes,  he  leased  a  lot 
centrally  located,  and  erected  a  tabernacle  seating  five  hundred  people, 
with  a  gymnasium  as  an  annex.  When  he  accepted  the  call  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  of  Sacramento,  Cal.,  in  1895.  he  left  the 
Everett  Church  in  a  flourishing  condition  with  over  a  hundred  mem- 


238      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

bers.  The  $14,000  stone  church  was  not  secured,  presumably  on 
account  of  the  stipulated  location ;  but  he  left  a  church,  not  so  much 
influenced  by  high  worldly  ideals  as  by  the  higher  and  nobler  ideal 
of  Christian  service,  in  its  centrally  located  headquarters,  for  the 
people  of  the  future  large  city.  It  is  the  privilege  of  but  fev/  pastors 
to  be  loved  and  appreciated  as  Doctor  Banks  was  by  the  First 
Church  of  Everett.    In  accepting  his  resignation  they  say : 

We  sorrow  as  one  bowed  down  by  grief  .  .  .  We  can  word  no  resolu- 
tion that  will  rightly  express  our  gratitude  and  love,  or  our  appreciation 
of  all  that  Doctor  Banks  has  wrought  in  Everett.  His  zeal,  eloquence, 
and  consecration  receive  their  best  testimonial  in  the  new  impetus  he  has 
given  to  every  good  work,  in  the  lives  he  has  lifted  from  darkness  into 
light,  and  in  the  souls  he  has  taught  to  look  up  to  the  divine  Christ. 

Of  Rev.  W.  C.  Weir,  of  Vancouver,  B.  C,  who  followed  Doctor 
Banks  in  the  pastorate,  though  he  was  a  character  of  another  type, 
nothing  but  good  things  are  said,  even  by  those  who  doubted  if  any 
one  could  successfully  fill  the  place  of  Doctor  Banks.  Brother  Weir 
was  a  clear  expositor  of  the  Scriptures,  a  tender  under-shepherd,  and 
by  his  pastoral  visitations  his  sincerity  and  his  devotion  to  the  church 
and  its  work,  he  soon  won  the  hearts  of  the  people,  proving  himself 
to  have  been  manifestly  called  of  God  to  build  up  the  lives  and  char- 
acters of  the  members  into  the  biblical  structure  of  a  church  of 
Jesus  Christ.  His  congregations  were  reported  as  comparing  fa- 
vorably with  those  of  Doctor  Banks,  and  his  pastorate  of  about  two 
years  was  well  sustained.  When  he  took  charge  of  the  church,  there 
was  a  debt  of  $1,600  against  the  property,  $1,100  of  which  he 
provided  for,  although  the  church  had  voted  to  abstain  from  all  such 
methods  of  raising  money  as  socials,  fairs,  etc.  The  church  adopted 
the  following  resolution:  "Resolved,  That  the  financial  policy  of  this 
church  is  the  biblical  one,  namely,  by  the  free-will  offerings  of  the 
people  contributed  weekly  and  on  special  occasions." 

Brother  Weir  resigned  in  1898,  and  Rev.  W.  G.  Jones  was  his  suc- 
cessor. Brother  Jones  was  a  native  of  Tennessee,  but  he  had  spent 
ten  years  in  Massachusetts,  was  a  graduate  of  Newton,  and  had  his 
first  pastorate  in  Boston.  He  began  his  work  in  Everett  in  the  fall 
of  1898.  It  may  be  said  of  his  pastorate  that  he  succeeded  in  enter- 
ing the  twentieth  century  with  church  assets  of  such  promise  that 
valuable  accumulations  could  reasonably  be  expected  to  aid  in  carry- 
ing the  good  news  to  the  wider  world  opening  for  its  reception  in  the 
new  century.  In  his  first  year,  forty-four  members  were  added ;  in 
his  second,  eighty;  in  his  third,  one  hundred  and  thirteen.  The  city 
had  grown  to  10,000  population,  and  the  church  had  two  hundred  and 
thirty-six  members  at  the  end  of  the  century,  and  the  new  century 
found  both  church  and  pastor  out  of  debt  and  floating  on  the  rising 
tide  of  spiritual  life,  with  the  gospel  ship  ready  to  take  on  beard  all 
who  would  repent,  believe,  and  be  baptized. 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  239 

XCVII 

OscoTA  Church   (1892) 

This  church  was  located  at  Oscota,  Chehalis  County,  and  was 
organized  with  four  members  on  February  11,  1892,  by  Rev.  G.  W. 
Clancy.    No  further  record  was  found  of  this  church. 

XCVIII 
Cedarholm   Swedish   Church    (1892?) 

This  church  first  appears  in  the  minutes  of  the  Convention  in 
1893  with  twelve  members  reported,  a  loss  of  one.  Rev.  Erick 
Sjolander  is  given  as  pastor.  In  1894  there  were  ten  members  and  a 
Sunday-school  enrolment  of  fourteen;  in  1895  seventeen  members, 
two  being  added  by  baptism,  and  a  Sunday-school  of  twelve;  and 
in  1896  about  the  same  report,  except  that  no  pastor  was  reported. 
Brother  Sjolander  was  still  given  as  pastor,  however,  in  1897,  but 
in  1898  Rev.  A.  Johnson  was  pastor,  with  nineteen  church-members 
and  eighteen  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school.  In  1899  there  were 
twenty-nine  members  and  thirty-five  enrolled  in  the  school;  and  in 
1900  twenty-three  church-members  and  thirty-five  in  the  school. 
Pastor  Andrew  Johnson  remained  with  the  church  until  after  1900. 

XCIX 

Ballard  Swedish   Church    (1893) 

It  was  located  at  Ballard,  King  County,  and  was  organized  with 
twelve  members  on  May  5,  1893.  It  came  into  the  Swedish  Confer- 
ence the  same  year,  with  Rev.  August  Olson  as  pastor.  In  1894  Rev. 
F.  O.  Lonn  was  pastor,  and  the  church  was  aided  in  his  support  by 
the  Home  Mission  Society.  In  October,  1895,  Brother  Lonn  reported 
four  baptized  and  two  other  additions.  In  the  twent}'-two  months  of 
his  service,  which  he  closed  with  the  quarter,  he  had  received  sixteen 
members  and  a  new  meeting-house  had  been  erected.  In  October. 
1896,  Rev.  L.  E.  Nelson  was  the  missionary  pastor  of  the  Ballard 
and  Pearson  Swedish  churches.  There  were  twenty-two  members  in 
the  Ballard  church,  with  thirty-one  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school, 
and  a  mission  circle  of  fourteen.  Pastor  Nelson  was  still  there  in 
October,  1897,  with  twenty-seven  church-members  and  a  Sunday- 
school  of  thirty-five.  In  1898-1900  the  Ballard  Swedish  Church 
reported  no  pastor.  At  the  latter  date  the  number  of  members  was 
seventeen,  and  the  Sunday-school  enrolment  was  forty-five. 

C 

Rochester  Church  (1893) 

It  was  located  at  Rochester,  in  Thurston  County.  It  was  organ- 
ized by  Prof.  E.  T.  Tremble  and  Bro.  R.  W.  Wolfe,  a  licentiate  and 


240      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

a  Student  of  Grace  Seminary,  on  January  21,  1893,  with  ten  members. 
The  same  year  it  was  admitted  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association, 
reporting  a  good  interest;  and  Pastor  Wolfe  was  ordained.  In 
1894  Rev.  Leon  D.  Green  succeeded  him,  and  a  meeting-house  was 
built  worth  $1,400,  of  which  the  Home  Mission  Society  donated 
$125  and  loaned  $125. 

From  this  time  on  the  church  was  supplied  with  preaching  mostly 
from  Centralia  or  Chehalis.  In  1896  very  successful  revival  meetings 
were  held  at  Rochester,  and  several  converts  were  baptized.  Rev.  A. 
W.  Snyder,  who  was  pastor  at  Centralia  and  supplying  the  pulpit  at 
Rochester,  was  in  charge  of  the  meetings  for  two  weeks;  Rev.  R.  W. 
McKillop,  of  Chehalis,  preached  three  evenings,  and  the  general 
missionary.  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper,  continued  the  meetings  for  another 
week.  There  was  a  most  encouraging  interest  at  the  close  of  the 
meetings,  and  great  good  was  accomplished.  Rev.  F.  K.  Van  Tassel 
held  two  weeks  of  revival  meetings  the  same  year  there,  and  eight 
came  forward  seeking  Christ.  In  1896  the  church  reports  a  member- 
ship of  thirty-two. 

No  further  data  or  statistics  are  available  up  to  1900. 

CI 

Tacoma  Swedish  Church  (1893) 

This  church  was  located  at  Tacoma,  Pierce  County.  It  was  or- 
ganized with  twenty-six  members  by  a  council  on  January  22,  1893, 
and  came  into  the  Swedish  Conference  the  same  year.  Its  first  pastor 
was  Rev.  A.  G.  Hall,  who  remained  until  1896,  when  there  were 
sixty-eight  members.  The  Home  Mission  Society  aided  in  his  sup- 
port for  two  years  and  a  half.  In  1897  Rev.  F.  R.  Goranson  was 
pastor,  with  forty-nine  members,  thirty-eight  enrolled  in  the  Sunday- 
school,  eighteen  in  the  B.  Y.  P.  U.,  and  twenty  in  the  mission  circle. 
In  1898,  when  Rev.  N.  Hayland  first  appears  as  pastor,  there  were 
fifty-five  church-members,  fifty-two  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school, 
and  twenty-five  in  the  women's  mission  circle.  In  1899  there  were 
sixty-five  church-members  and  fifty-nine  enrolled  in  the  Sunday- 
school.  In  1900,  when  Rev.  N.  Thornquist  succeeded  to  the  pastor- 
ate, left  sadly  vacant  by  the  death  of  Brother  Hayland,  there  were 
seventy-one  church-members  and  a  Sunday-school,  enrolling  forty 
pupils  under  the  efficient  superintendency  of  Miss  Mathilde  Malmberg. 

In  November,  1900,  Miss  Malmberg  writes  to  Tidings: 

It  is  with  great  pleasure  I  write  you  of  the  completion  of  our 
church  building,  for  which  we  have  worked,  prayed,  and  given  so  long. 
Our  people  have  sacrificed  much  to  accomplish  this,  and  have  raised 
in  the  last  nine  months  $1,700.  Not  one  dollar  of  this  has  been  raised 
bv  sociables  or  any  such  plan,  but  given  directly  to  the  treasury  in  free- 
will offerings.  Quite  a  number  of  the  members  have  given  from  $50  to 
$70  each,  besides  keeping  up  the  regular  expenses,  and  we  do  not  seem 
to  have  any  less  because  of  it.     Just  as  the  work  was  begun,  the  Lord 


CHURCHES    OF    THE    NORTHWEST  24 1 

took  our  dear  pastor  (Rev.  Nicholas  Hayland)  from  us,  and  for  a  time 
we  felt  that  we  could  not  go  on  without  him.  Then  we  rallied  and  asked 
for  aid  from  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.  The  Con- 
vention Board  felt  sure  that  we  should  receive  the  necessary  help ;  and  on 
the  strength  of  its  convictions  we  proceeded  with  the  building.  When  it 
was  almost  finished,  we  received  word  that  the  desired  aid  could  not  be 
granted.  We  were  not  discouraged,  however;  but  felt  sure  that  the  Lord 
would  enable  us  to  do  it  ourselves ;  and  he  has.  He  alone  shall  have  the 
praise. 

CII 

Maple  Grove  Church  (1893) 

The  location  of  this  church  was  near  Vance  Post-ofifice,  Lewis 
County.  It  was  organized  with  four  members  by  a  council,  July  19, 
1893,  with  Weimer  Siler  as  pastor.  Ic  came  into  the  Puget  Sound 
Association  in  1894,  with  Rev.  M.  W.  Miller  as  pastor.  In  June,  1895, 
tkere  was  no  pastor;  but  it  kept  up  a  Sunday-school  and  a  prayer 
meeting.  From  October,  1895,  to  October,  1897,  J.  S.  Siler  was  re- 
ported as  clerk,  with  no  pastor.  At  the  latter  date  there  were  fifteen 
members  and  twenty  were  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school. 

The  report  of  the  church  to  the  Association  in  June,  1900,  gives 
J.  S.  Siler  as  clerk,  and  says:  "Need  of  help.  Three  candidates  for 
baptism  and  no  one  to  administer  the  ordinance.  Membership  has  in- 
creased one-third  during  the  year.    Better  results  possible  with  help." 

In  October,  1900,  the  Convention  records  Rev.  Paul  J.  Orr  as 
pastor,  with  eighteen  members. 

cm 

Foster  Swedish  Church 

We  are  told  by  Mrs.  Anna  S.  Olson  of  a  little  Swedish  church  in 
Foster,  which  had  to  meet  in  private  rooms.     She  says : 

It  was  like  a  feast  to  hear  the  children  sing  and  repeat  Scripture 
verses.  Every  one  of  the  seven  members  of  the  church  was  a  teacher 
in  this  Sunday-school,  and  oh !  how  happy  they  were.  Their  faces  fairly 
shone  with  delight  when  the  children  answered  the  questions  put  to 
them.  One  mother  told  me  that  she  took  the  children  by  themselves  once 
a  day  and  taught  them  the  Scriptures.  I  am  sure  that  mother  will  reap 
what  she  is  sowing.  This  unique  organization  will  have  its  history  con- 
tinued in  the  golden  city. 

CIV 

Skagit  Swedish  Church   (1893) 

It  was  located  at  Skagit  City,  Skagit  County;  was  organized 
with  fourteen  members  in  1893,  and  came  into  the  Swedish  Confer- 
ence the  same  year.  In  1894  Rev.  O.  J.  Johnson  was  pastor,  and 
there  were  five  additions  to  the  church  and  a  Sunday-school  enrol- 
ment of  fourteen.  Brother  Johnson  remained  up  to  the  close  of  the 
century,  when  twenty-seven  members  were  reported,  with  a  Sunday- 
school  enrolment  of  forty. 
Q 


242       BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

cv 

Ilvvaco  Baptist  Church  (1893) 

It  was  located  at  Ilwaco,  Pacific  County,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia  River.  It  was  organized  with  five  members  by  a  council 
May  11,  1893.  It  came  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in  1894, 
with  eleven  members.  Rev.  James  Howerton  was  pastor  from  1893 
to  1895,  with  services  one-fourth  of  the  time  and  no  house  of  worship. 
After  this  there  is  no  report  until  1900,  when  the  church  was  re- 
organized in  May,  with  four  members,  and  was  again  received  into 
the  Puget  Sound  Association,  Robert  Yeatman  being  pastor. 

CVI 

Burton  Church   (1893) 

This  church  is  located  at  Burton,  King  County,  on  Vashon 
Island.  It  was  organized  by  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven,  August  31,  1893, 
with  seven  members,  at  the  quartermaster  schoolhouse;  but,  when 
a  few  months  later  Burton  was  laid  out  as  a  town,  the  church  at 
once  moved  its  place  of  meeting  to  that  town,  and  was  incorporated 
as  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Burton. 

It  was  represented  by  delegates  at  the  Convention  of  the  same 
year,  and  came  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in  June,  1894, 
when  it  reported  that,  through  the  aid  extended  by  the  Home  Mis- 
sion Society,  it  had  been  able  to  erect  and  furnish  a  church  building 
at  a  total  cost  of  $1,350,  which  was  all  paid  except  $300.  Rev.  S.  W. 
Beaven  was  the  pastor,  preaching  three  Sundays  each  month.  There 
was  a  good  attendance  at  church,  Sunday-school,  and  prayer  meeting. 
The  church  mourned  the  loss  of  Rev.  Joseph  W.  Beaven,  who  was 
called  home  February   16,  1894. 

In  1895  Pastor  Beaven  and  the  church  were  greatly  blessed  in 
three  weeks  of  special  meetings  conducted  by  the  pastor.  Eleven  were 
baptized  and  one  received  by  experience.  The  membership  in- 
creased from  nine  in  June,  1894,  to  twenty-nine  in  June,  1895,  and  to 
thirty-four  in  1896.  Brother  Beaven  remained  pastor  up  to  June, 
1898,  and  the  debt  was  reduced  to  $100. 

In  October,  1898,  Rev.  Herman  J.  Powell  was  pastor,  with  twenty- 
four  members;  but  in  1899  there  was  no  pastor  and  no  report  from 
the  church. 

In  1900  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven  was  pastor  again;  and  there  were 
twenty-six  members  with  three  baptisms,  while  the  Sunday-school 
enrolment  was  one  hundred.  The  church  reported  a  year  of  pros- 
perity and  blessing,  with  an  increased  attendance  at  both  church 
and  Sunday-school.  A  Junior  Young  People's  Union  was  organized 
by  Mrs.  Beaven,  and  a  mission  Sunday-school  was  begun  at  the 
neighboring  dry  dock,  with  preaching  twice  a  month. 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  243 


WORK  OF  THE  GERMAN  BAPTISTS  IN  THE  NORTHWEST 

■  CVII 
Bethany  Church 

As  early  in  the  history  of  our  Convention  as  1877  the  foreign 
population  in  our  territory  was  a  problem  of  no  small  interest  and 
importance.  Even  before  co-operation  with  the  Home  Mission  So- 
ciety began,  the  field  of  the  Northwest,  with  its  rapidly  increasing 
foreign  population,  was  considered  a  missionary  field  which  must  be 
entered  upon.  Work  among  the  Germans  and  Scandinavians  in 
Portland  and  Seattle  and  in  many  of  the  rural  districts  was  being 
planned  and  taken  up. 

The  German  work  especially  had  a  unique  beginning.  A  Swiss 
colony  had  settled  at  Bethany,  about  twelve  miles  from  Portland. 
Before  emigrating  to  this  country  they  had  come  into  possession  of 
the  New  Testament  in  some  way,  and  had  been  led  to  accept  Jesus 
Christ  as  their  Saviour.  In  their  study  of  the  New  Testament  they 
had  found  and  accepted  as  their  creed  regeneration  by  the  Spirit  and 
baptism  as  the  seal  or  symbol  of  it.  Since  they  had  no  ordained 
minister  holding  this  belief  to  baptize  them,  they  appointed  some 
one  to  baptize  their  leader,  who  baptized  the  others.  In  1887  they 
presented  themselves  to  the  Willamette  Association,  and  through 
Rev.  W.  H.  Wichser  as  interpreter  they  asked  for  membership.  When 
asked  what  doctrines  they  held,  their  leader  stood  up  with  a  New 
Testament  in  his  hand,  saying:  "Before  we  are  examined  about  our 
belief,  we  want  to  know  what  you  believe."  This  turning  of  the 
tables  upon  the  Association  caused  some  merriment,  but  the  Associ- 
ation took  it  pleasantly  and  answered  their  questions  from  the  chair. 
First,  they  took  up  the  doctrine  of  regeneration.  When  they  had 
been  satisfied  by  the  chair  that  the  Baptists  stood  squarely  upon  the 
doctrine  of  a  regenerate  church-membership,  they  still  desired  to 
know  whether  the  whole  body  of  the  Association  accepted  it.  The 
moderator  proceeded  to  satisfy  them  by  a  rising  vote.  This  left  them 
with  satisfaction  beaming  in  their  countenances ;  but  their  leader 
stood  up  again  with  his  Testament,  desiring  to  put  one  more  question : 
"  We  want  to  know  if  you  ever  baptize  babies."  A  similar  vote 
answered  this  question,  and  then  their  examination  was  proceeded 
with.  Finding  that  they  believed  in  the  supreme  authority  of  the 
local  church  and  the  equal  rights  of  its  members,  they  were  admitted 
into  the  Association  as  a  regular  Baptist  church.  Great  interest 
and  enthusiasm  was  manifest  during  the  proceedings,  especially  when 
the  right  hand  of  fellowship  was  extended  and  the  large  audience 
sang:  "Blest  be  the  tie  that  binds."  Some  of  us  were  much  inter- 
ested in  seeing  how  the  "  Old  Landmarkers,"  some  of  the  most  prom- 
inent of  whom  were  present,  would  be  able  to  accept  a  church  as  a 


244       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

regular  Baptist  church,  whose  members  had  not  been  baptized  by  an 
ordained  administrator  of  the  rite.  They  never  raised  the  question, 
however,  but  stood  up  with  the  rest  of  us  when  the  vote  was  taken, 
all  being  permitted  to  vote  by  the  request  of  a  visitor. 

Afterward,  Brother  Graf,  their  pastor,  withdrew  from  the  church 
with  seven  members  and  organized  a  Free  Baptist  church.  The 
others,  who  retained  the  original  doctrines,  kept  up  their  services  until, 
in  1879,  Rev.  F.  Schaelike  came  up  from  San  Francisco  and  re- 
organized the  church  with  eighteen  members,  under  the  name  of  the 
First  German  Baptist  Church  of  Bethany.  Thus  came  into  existence 
the  first  German  Baptist  church  on  the  Northwest  Coast.  During 
Brother  Schaelike's  pastorate  of  about  one  year,  the  Mission  Board 
of  the  Convention  availed  itself  of  his  services  to  look  up  the 
German  work  at  other  places.  On  Christmas  Day,  188 1,  this  church 
dedicated  the  first  German  Baptist  house  of  worship  on  the  Pacific 
Coast.  In  1882  eight  members  were  baptized  at  a  mission  station 
established  in  Clackamas  County,  Ore.  The  Home  Mission  Society 
aided  in  the  support  of  Rev.  Vincent  Farnkopf  for  one  year  and  nine 
months  at  Bethany,  from  July,  1880- 1882.  Rev.  J.  A.  H.  Wuttke 
was  pastor  of  the  Bethany  Church  in  1891. 

CVIII 
Tacoma  German  Church  (1891) 

It  was  located  at  Tacoma.  It  was  organized  by  Rev.  C.  E. 
Kleiver,  with  seven  members,  in  March,  1891.  Brother  Kleiver  was 
pastor  in  October,  1899,  and  twelve  members  were  reported.  In 
1900  the  pastor  wrote  that  he  felt  much  encouraged  in  his  work. 
Eight  members  had  just  been  received  into  the  church,  and  two  more 
were  awaiting  baptism.  The  church  was  greatly  rejoiced  that  by 
dint  of  hard  work  on  the  part  of  the  members  and  generous  aid 
from  the  Home  Mission  Society  and  other  churches,  a  good  house  of 
worship,  thirty-three  feet  by  fifty-six  feet,  had  been  secured  in  a 
central  location  on  Tacoma  Avenue.  The  house  and  two  lots  cost 
them  $1,000.  It  was  all  paid  for,  and  the  church  hoped  to  raise 
$500  more  for  furnishings  and  needed  repairs. 

Brother  Kleiver,  who  had  entered  thus  auspiciously  upon  his 
work  as  a  missionary  among  the  Germans  in  Washington,  had  already 
been  four  years  a  pastor  in  Salem,  Ore.,  and  in  that  time  had 
baptized  sixtj'-one  persons  and  given  the  hand  of  fellowship  to  more 
than  a  hundred.  He  had  also  organized  two  other  German  churches 
in  that  vicinity.  What  was  Oregon's  loss  was  Washington's  decided 
gain. 

In  October,  1900,  the  Tacoma  German  Church  had  twenty-one 
members,  four  of  them  being  received  by  baptism  and  seven  by  letter 
and  experience  in  the  convention  year.  It  had  also  thirty  Sunday- 
school  scholars.    Rev.  D.  D.  Proper  wrote  in  1892  (  ?)  as  follows : 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  245 

The  German  work  on  the  Pacific  Coast  is  still  in  its  beginning.  We 
have  only  ten  churches,  with  seven  hundred  and  sixty  members.  Only 
two  of  these  are  self-supporting,  and  one  expects  to  become  so  in  June 
next.  The  church  at  Portland  became  self-supporting  this  year.  Our 
Brother  Kratt  did  excellent  service.  A  suitable  chapel  was  erected  and 
paid  for  with  the  aid  of  the  Home  Mission  Society,  and  a  parsonage  was 
just  finished.  At  Tacoma,  Wash.,  a  church  was  organized,  and  a 
suitable  home  was  secured  for  the  body  under  very  favorable  circum- 
stances." 

There  were  German  Baptist  churches  at  Los  Angeles,  Cal.; 
Portland,  Ore.;  Bethany,  Ore.;  Tacoma,  Wash.;  Aberdeen,  Wash.; 
Stafiford,  Ore.;  Salem,  Ore. 

CIX 

Aberdeen  German  Church  (1891) 

This  church  joined  the  Pacific  Conference  of  German  Baptists 
held  at  Los  Angeles,  March  27-31,  1891,  at  the  same  time  vi^ith  the 
Tacoma  church. 


CX 

Newcastle  Church.    Colored  (1894) 

This  church  was  located  at  Newcastle,  King  County.  It  was  or- 
ganized with  twelve  members  by  Rev.  Mr.  Price,  in  1894,  and  came 
into  the  Northwestern  Association  the  same  year,  with  thirty  mem- 
bers, under  Rev.  C.  M.  Williams  as  pastor.  In  1895  S.  A.  Franklin, 
a  delegate,  reported  fourteen  members  without  a  pastor. 

When  W.  M.  Miller,  a  colporter  of  the  American  Baptist  Publi- 
cation Society,  visited  Newcastle,  in  May,  1892,  he  found  about  a 
hundred  and  seventy-five  colored  people  and  about  a  hundred  and 
fifty  whites  in  this  mining  town.  With  the  assistance  of  Brother 
Price  he  held  meetings  and  organized  a  Sunday-school  for  the 
colored  people,  among  whom,  when  his  force  was  counted,  he 
found  "  ten  faithful  souls."  The  nucleus  thus  formed  grew  later 
into  the  Newcastle  church. 

In  1896  and  1897  Rev.  R.  W.  Jennison  was  pastor,  with  nineteen 
members  and  fifteen  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school.  In  1898,  with 
the  same  pastor,  the  membership  was  seventeen,  and  the  Sunday- 
school  enrolment  was  twenty-five.  In  1899-1900  Rev.  E.  M.  Matthews 
was  pastor ;  and  while  the  membership  rose  at  the  latter  date  to 
twenty-four,  the  school  enrolment  remained  the  same. 

CXI 

Seattle  Mount  Zion  Church.    Colored  (1894) 

This  church  was  located  at  Seattle,  King  County,  and  was 
organized  with  five  members  in   1894.     The  same  year  it  came  into 


246       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

the  Northwestern  Association,  with  Rev.  C.  M.  Williams  as  pastor, 
reporting  a  gain  of  ten  members,  making  fifteen  in  all,  with  a 
Sunday-school  enrolment  of  fourteen.  In  the  Convention  minutes 
of  1894- 1895  there  was  no  pastor  reported.  After  this  there  was  no 
report  from  the  church,  either  in  the  Association  or  the  Convention, 
until  in  June,  1899,  Rev.  Eugene  Harris  appears  as  pastor,  with 
twenty-three  members  and  twenty  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school.  In 
the  Convention  minutes  for  1899  3^"^  1900  no  pastor  is  recorded. 

CXII 

Ballard    Xorwegian-Danish    Church    (1894) 

This  church  was  located  at  Ballard,  King  County.  It  was  or- 
ganized with  thirteen  members  by  Rev.  C.  W.  Finwall,  on  March 
7,  1894.  and  came  into  the  Northwestern  Association  in  the  same 
year,  with  Brother  Finwall  as  pastor.  From  1895-1899  Rev.  O.  L. 
Hoien  was  pastor.  It  became  affiliated  with  the  Norwegian-Danish 
Conference  when  that  body  was  organized,  reporting  in  1896  twenty- 
three  members  in  the  church,  and  forty-nine  enrolled  in  the  Sunday- 
school  ;  a  young  people's  union  of  thirteen,  and  a  mission  circle  of 
nine.  In  1899  there  were  twenty-four  members  and  sixty-three 
enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school ;  but,  in  1900,  when  Brother  Hoien  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  E.  S.  Sundt,  there  were  twenty-six  church- 
members  and  forty-six  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school. 

CXIII 
Lopez  Church    (1894) 

This  church  was  located  at  Lopez,  San  Juan  Island,  and  was 
organized  with  seven  members  by  Rev.  W.  H.  Black,  on  August 
16,  1894.  Three  others  soon  united  with  the  church,  but  after  this 
there  is  no  further  record  found. 

CXIV 

NoRTHRUP  Church  (1894) 

This  church  was  located  at  Northrup,  King  County,  Houghton 
Post-office,  and  was  organized  with  ten  members  in  1894.  From  that 
date  until  1896  the  church  received  fifty  weeks'  aid  in  the  support  of 
its  pastor.  Rev.  D.  T.  Richards,  from  the  Home  Mission  Society. 
The  church  finally  disbanded,  it  not  proving  to  be  a  favorable  loca- 
tion. 

CXV 

Pleasant  Hill  Church   (1895) 

It  was  located  at  Pleasant  Hill,  Whatcom  County,  and  was 
organized  with  nine  members  in  1895.  Rev.  E.  B.  Hilton  was  pastor, 
and  a  gain  of  three  members  between  the  date  of  organization  and 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  247 

the  meeting  of  the  Association  was  reported,  making  a  total  member- 
ship of  twelve.     No  further  data  are  found. 

CXVI 
The  Tabernacle  Baptist  Church  (1896) 

This  church,  located  at  Tacoma,  was  an  ofifshoot  from  the  First 
Baptist  Church.  It  was  organized  on  April  23,  1896,  with  thirty-one 
members.  Officers  were  elected  as  follows :  Deacons,  P.  A.  Smith, 
Judge  R.  S.  Greene,  Gen.  W.  Dard;  Clerk,  W.  O.  Hardin;  treasurer, 
Miss  Lizzie  Bray.  Rev.  S.  C.  Ohrum  was  unanimously  called  to  the 
pastorate,  which  he  accepted.  The  meetings  were  held  in  Freed's 
Hall.  One  thing  especially  characterizing  this  church  and  the 
mother  church  was  that  each  in  its  prayer  meetings  was  praying  for 
the  prosperity  of  the  other.  The  Lord  heard  and  answered  their 
prayers. 

Material  was  found  in  this  church  sufficient  to  organize  every 
department  of  church  work  and  fill  the  offices  with  competent  leaders. 
The  old  church  was  left  with  abundance  of  talent  to  refill  the  offices 
made  vacant,  and  leads  to  a  conclusion  that  it  is  a  good  plan  for  bees 
to  swarm  often,  otherwise  they  will  eat  up  all  the  honey  and  starve. 
The  church  was  recognized  by  a  large  council.  May  19,  1896. 
Articles  of  incorporation  were  taken  out  in  which  it  was  provided 
that  the  church  could  not  contract  any  debt  for  any  purpose.  A 
lot  was  secured  on  the  corner  of  Eleventh  and  Jefferson  Streets  and 
Boren  Avenue,  and  work  began  on  a  house  of  worship  in  May, 
to  contain  an  audience-room,  a  lecture-room,  and  three  class  and 
robing-rooms,  so  constructed  that  the  larger  rooms  could  be  thrown 
together,  and  thus  provide  sittings  for  nearly  six  hundred.  The 
church  had  now  grown  to  sixty-eight  members.  In  1898  the  church 
reports  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  members,  with  one  hundred  and 
seventy-six  in  the  Sunday-school. 

This  church  became  one  of  the  most  vigorous  churches  of  the 
city  along  all  lines  of  church  and  evangelistic  work.  Its  work  among 
the  Chinese  and  Japanese  is  taken  up  in  the  sections  devoted  to  those 
missions.  It  had  a  downtown  mission,  and  performed  much  evangel- 
istic labor  in  the  surrounding  country  and  towns.  It  was  liberal  also 
with  prayers  and  money  for  all  classes  of  missions.  It  closed  the 
nineteenth  century  with  one  hundred  and  eighty-six  members  and 
bright  anticipations  of  being  helpful  in  the  Master's  service. 

CXVII 

Tacoma  Immanuel  Church  (1896) 

It  was  located  at  Tacoma.  It  was  organized  in  1896  by  Rev.  E. 
M.  Bliss,  who  became  the  missionary  pastor,  and  was  recognized  by  a 
large  council,  with  Rev.  M.  W.  Miller  as  moderator,  on  October  15, 


248       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

1896.  It  came  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in  1897,  with  twenty- 
eight  members,  and  an  enrolment  of  eighty  in  the  Sunday-school. 
L.  T.  Root  was  the  superintendent.  It  was  stated  on  January  21,  1897, 
that  Brother  Bliss  had  the  largest  number  of  unconverted  people  in 
his  congregation  of  any  pastor  in  the  city.  In  1898,  with  the  same 
officers,  there  were  thirty-three  members  in  the  church,  and  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school. 

When  Brother  Bliss  and  his  wife  began  systematic  work  on  this 
field  of  the  abandoned  Wright  Avenue  Church,  the  outlook  seemed 
very  unpromising.  The  church  property,  which  now  belonged  to  the 
Home  Mission  Society,  was  in  a  dilapidated  condition.  One  of  the 
first  things  done  was  to  buy  nine  dollars'  worth  of  glass  to  replace 
the  panes  broken  by  the  boys  using  the  windows  for  a  target.  At 
first  these  elements  seemed  unruly  and  almost  unmanageable,  without 
any  respect  for  Christianity.  Many  of  the  boys  were  from  Lutheran 
and  Catholic  homes.  For  eighteen  months  the  progress  was  very 
gratifying.  Several  were  converted  who  but  for  opposition  at  home 
would  unite  with  the  Baptist  church.  There  was  an  occasional  bap- 
tism. The  congregations  were  large,  containing  from  thirty  to  forty 
unconverted  people. 

Brother  Bliss  had  under  his  charge  the  Fern  Hill  Church  also, 
with  seventeen  members,  and  twenty-five  enrolled  in  the  Sunday- 
school. 

On  July  18,  1900,  the  Imrrianuel  Church  called  a  council  to  ordain 
Bro.  L.  T.  Root.  The  council  was  large  and  representative,  and 
the  examination  was  rigid,  covering  four  hours'  time,  and  was  emi- 
nently satisfactory.  Rev.  A.  G.  Sawin  was  moderator  and  Dr.  W.  L. 
Moon,  clerk.  Brother  Root  succeeded  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Im- 
manuel  Church,  jointly  with  that  of  the  South  Tacoma  Church,  in 
1900. 

CXVIII 

West  Ferndale  Swedish  Church  (1897) 

This  church  first  appears  in  the  Convention  minutes  of  1897, 
with  fourteen  members  under  Rev.  A.  Johnson  as  pastor.  Brother 
Johnson  began  preaching  once  a  month  at  this  point  as  early  as 
1895,  because  thirteen  of  the  members  of  the  New  Whatcom  Swedish 
Church,  of  which  he  was  pastor,  resided  in  the  vicinity  of  West  Fern- 
dale.  Two  from  this  neighborhood  were  baptized  in  1895.  In  1899 
there  were  nineteen  members,  and  in  1900  twenty-three,  with  a 
Sunday-school  enrolment  of  thirty.  Rev.  C.  J.  Granquist  was  pastor 
from  1898  to  beyond  1900. 

CXIX 

Seattle  Japanese  Church    (1897) 

The  Seattle  Japanese  Church  was  located  at  418  Jefferson  Street, 
and  was  organized  with  five  members  by  a  council,  of  which  Rev. 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  249 

F.  Okazaki  was  moderator,  and  H.  I.  Kudo  and  Mrs.  L.  V.  Ward 
were  clerks,  in  the  year  1897.  In  1899  there  were  sixteen  members, 
with  a  school  of  twenty-five.    The  church  was  not  associated. 

See  page  344  for  a  historical  sketch,  under  the  head  of  "  The 
Baptist  Japanese  Mission  in  Seattle." 

CXX 
North   Bend  Church    (1897) 

It  is  located  at  North  Bend,  Wash.  It  was  recognized  February 
28,  1897,  by  a  regularly  called  council,  of  which  Rev.  J.  Cairns 
was  moderator  and  Rev.  L.  J.  Sawyer  was  clerk.  Eight  churches 
were  represented  in  the  council.  Rev.  L.  S.  Bowerman,  of  the  First 
Church,  Seattle,  preached  the  sermon;  Rev.  S.  A.  Abbott,  of  La- 
Conner,  gave  the  charge  to  the  church ;  Rev.  J.  H.  Woodley,  of  Kent, 
offered  the  prayer  of  recognition;  and  Rev.  J.  Cairns,  of  Snohomish, 
extended  the  hand  of  fellowship.  Copies  of  the  proceedings  were 
ordered  sent  to  the  Pacific  Baptist,  and  the  clerk  of  the  North- 
western Association,  and  deposited  with  the  clerk  of  the  North 
Bend  Church. 

In  1898  Rev.  William  Brown,  who  had  been  pastor  from  the 
organization,  reported  fifty-one  members  in  the  church,  fifty-seven 
enrolled  in  the  Sunday-school,  and  twelve  baptisms.  In  1897  Pastor 
Brown  had  built  a  house  of  worship  on  a  lot  one  hundred  feet  by  one 
hundred  and  forty,  donated  by  W.  M.  Taylor,  the  proprietor  of  the 
town.  Brother  Brown  was  a  Washington  boy,  born  in  the  Walla 
Walla  region,  and  converted  at  Cheney.  He  was  educated  at  Mc- 
Minnville.  His  ordination  took  place  at  Issaquah,  in  June,  1896,  and 
he  served  as  pastor  there  for  fourteen  months.  Coming  to  North 
Bend  in  1897,  he  held  meetings  for  three  weeks.  A  church  of  twenty- 
six  members  was  organized.  Twenty  converts  were  baptized,  and  the 
church  soon  had  forty-nine  members.  As  this  was  the  only  church 
and  the  only  religious  service  in  the  town.  Brother  Brown  had  the 
right  of  way ;  and,  being  what  is  known  as  a  "  hustler,"  he  went  to 
work  at  once  to  build  a  meeting-house.  His  requests  for  aid  met  with 
a  hearty  response,  and  aid  came  in  lumber  and  material,  in  work  and 
cash,  until  he  had  a  house  of  worship  completed  at  a  cost  of  about 
$1,200.  He  put  two  hundred  days  of  work  into  it  himself.  After 
serving  as  pastor  for  a  year  and  eight  months.  Brother  Brown 
resigned,  greatly  to  the  regret  of  many  in  the  church  and  town,  as 
the  published  statements  indicate. 

In  1899  Rev.  J.  H.  Morgan  is  reported  as  pastor,  but  we  find  no 
further  data  concerning  his  work.  In  1900  Brother  Brown  was 
back  again  for  a  second  pastorate,  and  at  the  time  of  the  associational 
meeting  he  had  just  closed  two  series  of  revival  meetings,  one  at 
North  Bend,  and  one  at  Tokal  Creek,  six  miles  from  North  Bend, 
among    the    mill    hands.      Four    of    the    prominent   people    of    this 


250       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

coniniunity  were  converted,  and  were  baptized  in  the  evening  by  the 
light  of  a  huge  bonfire.  Six  were  baptized  at  North  Bend.  A  par- 
sonage was  hoped  for  there.  Everything  was  taking  on  new  Hfe. 
The  church  debt  was  paid,  two  mission  Sunday-schools  were  started, 
there  were  nearly  sixty  members  in  the  church,  and  all  branches  of 
the  work  were  moving  forward  hopefully. 

CXXI 

QuiLCENE  Church  (1899) 

It  was  located  at  Quilcene,  Jefferson  County,  and  was  organized 
September  19,  1899,  with  nine  members,  by  Rev.  F.  H.  Webster,  who 
became  pastor.  When  the  church  was  admitted  to  the  Northwestern 
Association  in  1900,  it  reported  five  members  added  since  the  organi- 
zation, two  of  them  by  baptism.  The  church  had  preaching  from  the 
pastor  once  a  month  in  the  Presbyterian  church  building,  which  was 
kindly  loaned  to  them  for  the  purpose.  The  church  maintained  a 
cottage  prayer  meeting,  and  united  with  the  Presbyterians  in  Sunday- 
school  work. 

CXXII 
Ballard  Calvary  Church  (1899) 

It  is  located  at  Ballard,  King  County,  and  was  organized 
September  18,  1899,  reporting  the  same  year  a  membership  of 
eighteen  and  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  forty.  The  record  for 
1900  shows  that  it  had  no  pastor  and  no  house  of  worship,  but 
mentions  that  it  had  a  weekly  prayer  meeting  and  a  growing  Sunday- 
school  under  J.  T.  Armstrong  as  superintendent,  and  states  that  the 
church  was  hopeful.     Miss  Bertha  Wares  was  clerk. 

CXXIII 
South  Tacoma  Church   (1899) 

This  church  was  located  at  South'  Tacoma,  Pierce  County.  It 
was  organized  on  March  11,  1899,  and  a  chapel,  recently  purchased 
and  moved  upon  well-located  lots,  was  newly  decorated,  furnished, 
and  dedicated  within  ten  days.  The  new  organization  began  work 
with  a  comfortable  home  and  no  indebtedness.  The  pastor.  Rev.  E. 
W.  Lloyd,  showed  executive  ability,  and  toiled  earnestly  in  this  new 
enterprise.  Since  this  church  is  composed  of  excellent  Christian 
workers,  and  ministers  to  the  needs  of  an  important  part  of  the  city, 
it  gives  promise  of  efficiency  and  success.  The  First  Church,  the 
Immanuel  Church,  and  the  Scandinavian  Church  have  each  con- 
tributed members  and  money  to  this  new  movement. 

Under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  L.  T.  Root,  there  were,  in  1899, 
sixteen  members,  with  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  fifty,  and  in 
1900  the  church  had  twenty-one  members. 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST  2$l 

CXXIV 

New  Whatcom  Immanuel  Church  (1899) 

This  church  is  located  at  Bellingham,  Whatcom  County.  In 
1899  Rev.  M.  C.  Cole  was  pastor,  and  reported  a  membership  of 
twenty-six  and  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  the  same  number. 
The  church  came  into  the  Northwestern  Association  in  1900,  with 
thirty  members.  Brother  Cole  was  still  pastor,  and  Mrs.  A.  M. 
Johnson  was  Sunday-school  superintendent,  with  an  enrolment  of 
seventy. 

CXXV 

Dryad   Church    (1899) 

It  was  located  at  Dryad,  Lewis  County,  and  was  organized  June 
16,  1899,  with  eleven  members.  The  Convention  report  in  October 
gives  it  twelve  members  and  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  forty. 
When  it  came  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in  June,  1900,  it 
had  no  pastor  and  no  regular  service,  but  was  building  a  house  of 
worship,  and  maintaining  a  Sunday-school  and  a  young  people's 
meeting,  both  very  well  attended.  In  October,  1900,  it  was  listed  as 
a  missionary  church,  in  care  of  Rev.  A.  W.  Sutton  as  pastor. 

A  handsome  little  church  building,  twenty-eight  by  forty-six  feet, 
and  costing  $836,  was  built  in  1900.  The  Home  Mission  Society 
gave  $150  for  it.    It  was  dedicated  free  of  debt. 

CXXVI 

Ballard  Calvary  Church  (1899) 

This  church  was  located  at  Ballard,  King  County.  It  was 
organized  with  seventeen  members  in  October,  1899.  It  was  recog- 
nized as  a  regular  Baptist  church  by  a  council  on  October  11,  1899. 
It  worshiped  in  the  Norwegian-Danish  meeting-house.  It  came  into 
the  Northwestern  Association  in  1900,  reporting  seventeen  members 
with  no  pastor,  and  a  Sunday-school  enrolment  of  seventeen. 

CXXVII 

Preston  Swedish  Church  (1900) 

This  church  began  its  life  under  exceptional  conditions,  for  be- 
fore it  was  organized  Bro.  August  Lovegren,  proprietor  of  the 
lumber  industry  at  Preston,  had  erected  for  its  home  a  neat  house  of 
worship.  The  church  was  organized  with  twenty  members,  eleven 
from  Seattle,  five  from  Ballard,  and  four  from  Tacoma;  and  by 
October  had  received  two  more  by  baptism  and  one  other,  making 
twenty-three  in  all.  Rev.  N.  Hayland,  of  Tacoma,  and  Rev.  A. 
Johnson,  of  Pearson,  preached  at  its  recognition,  and  fourteen  dele- 
gates from  the  churches  were  present.     Rev.   F.  O.   Lonn  was  the 


252       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

first  pastor.  Later,  twenty-seven  Swedish  Baptists  and  several 
American  Baptists  joined  in  a  weekly  service  among  themselves 
under  the  lead  of  Dea.  A.  Lovegren,  sustaining  a  prayer  meeting  and 
a  Sunday-school,  while  they  had  a  semimonthly  service  from  Rev. 
D.  T.  Richards,  M,  D.,  with  a  congregation  of  seventy-five.  The 
average  attendance  at  Sunday-school  was  fifty-two. 

CXXVIII 
Bellevue   First   Church    (1900) 

This  church  is  located  at  Bellevue,  King  County,  Wash.  It 
was  organized  with  ten  members,  on  January  7,  1900,  by  Rev.  J.  C. 
Baker,  and  two  more  were  baptized  before  reporting  to  the  Associ- 
ation. The  church  was  recognized  by  a  council  called  according  to 
the  rules  of  the  Northwestern  Association,  and  was  admitted  to 
membership  in  that  body  the  same  year,  with  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker  as 
pastor  and  O.  C.  Wilson  as  clerk. 

The  meetings  were  at  first  held  in  the  schoolhouse.  The  attend- 
ance and  interest  were  good;  and  there  was  a  flourishing  Sunday- 
school,  with  Mrs.  E.  Laws  as  superintendent.  The  church  soon  began 
the  work  of  erecting  a  house  of  worship,  and  at  once  adopted  a 
financial  system  covering  all  departments  of  church  work.  We  give 
in  full  this  plan,  which  Brother  Baker  originated,  and  has  used  suc- 
cessfully for  over  thirty  years,  and  has  furnished  to  scores  of 
churches. 

Financial  Plan  of  the  First  Baptist  Church^  Bellevue,  Wash, 
by  j.  c.  baker,  pastor. 

January  and  February.     Given  to  provide  for  current  expenses. 

March.    Given  to  home  missions. 

April,  May,  and  June.    Given  to  foreign  missions. 

July,  August,  and  September.     Given  to  State  missions. 

October.     Given  to  ministerial  education. 

November  and  December.  Given  to  the-  American  Baptist  Publication 
Society. 

Each  department  of  work  to  be  placed  under  a  committee  of  

whose  duty  shall  be : 

1.  Committee  on  current  expenses,  to  provide  by  pledges  for  the 
current  expenses  of  the  year,  as  estimated  by  church  action;  the  object 
being  to  secure  from  each  member  of  the  church  such  sum  as  they  are 
willing  to  give  at  stated  periods,  to  meet  the  current  expenses  of  the 
fiscal  year.  The  committee,  using  the  envelope  system,  shall  collect  funds, 
keep  accounts,  notify  delinquents,  increase  the  number  of  contributors 
during  the  year  as  members  come  into  the  church  or  join  the  congrega- 
tion. They  shall  report  progress  at  the  end  of  the  first  month,  so  that  any 
further  action  necessary  may  be  taken  by  the  church.  Thereafter  the 
committee  shall  report  quarterly  to  the  church  with  a  summary  of  results 
at  the  end  of  the  year. 

2.  All  other  committees  will  have  charge  of  their  department  of  work 
during  the  full  year,  providing  and  circulating  literature,  calling  the 
attention  of  the  church  to  any  important  feature  or  development  in  their 


CHURCHES   OF   THE    NORTHWEST 


253 


department.  Each  committee  shall  take  the  pledges  and  collect  all  funds 
for  their  work  within  the  limit  of  time  assigned  to  it,  make  a  full  report 
to  the  church  at  close  of  period,  a  summary  of  which  shall  be  presented 
to  the  congregation  on  Sabbath  preceding  the  presentation  of  the  next 
department  of  work. 

3.  Each  department  of  work  shall  be  presented  to  the  church  and 
congregation  on  the  second  Sabbath  of  the  first  month  assigned  to  it, 
either  by  the  pastor,  the  committee,  or  by  general  agents  of  that  depart- 
ment of  work  who  may  be  present. 

4.  All  funds  collected  by  these  committees  shall  be  paid  over  to  the 
treasurer  of  the  church,  who  shall  receipt  for  the  same  and  forward  to 
their  several  destinations  as  directed  by  the  church. 

Note  I.  It  shall  be  understood  that  no  committee  on  benevolence 
shall  allow  their  work  of  soliciting  and  collecting  to  lap  over  upon  the 
time  assigned  to  another  department. 

Note  2.  Give  the  first  months  of  the  financial  year  to  current  ex- 
penses. But  the  method  of  operating,  the  number  of  objects  scheduled, 
the  time  given  to  each,  should  be  arranged  to  suit  the  wishes  of  the 
church. 

Note  3.  Should  the  church  desire  to  pool  its  benevolence  and  divide 
it  on  a  fixed  scale,  the  pledge  card  can  be  filled  out  for  all  objects  at  the 
beginning  of  the  year.  Better  results,  however,  are  reached  by  the 
suggested  plan. 

Note  4.  Method  of  taking  pledges  and  collecting  same  in  each 
department  of  beneficience.  Upon  presentation  of  each  department  of 
work  the  committee  having  it  in  charge  shall  circulate  through  the  con- 
gregation the  pledge  cards,  taking  up  the  pledges  of  those  who  are 
present.  At  the  close  of  said  service  the  committee  is  to  hold  a  meeting, 
ascertain  who  are  yet  to  be  seen,  divide  the  number  among  the  members 
of  the  committee  as  most  convenient,  see  all  such  during  the  week,  and 
report  results  at  an  adjourned  meeting. 

Note  5.  By  this  plan  workers  are  being  developed  in  all  departments 
of  church  work. 


FIRST  BAPTIST  CHURCH,  Bellevue,  Wash. 

PLEDGE  CARD 

Desiring  to  bear  my  share  of  the  current  expenses  of  the  church  and  its 
missionary  operations,  I  promise  to  give 

Weekly       Monthly     Quarterly      Yearly 

During  the  year  to  current  expenses  ....|                 M^                   ^                 \^ 

During  March  to  Home  Missions 

During  April,  May,  and  June   to   Foreign 
Missions 

During  July,   August,    and    September    to  |                                1 
State  Convention I                                  | 

During  October  to  Ministerial  Education     . 

During  November  and  December  to  Amer-             1           1           1 
ican  Baptist  Publication  Society     ...              1           I           I 

Name. "This  pledge  I  make  for  the  Master's 

sake  and  in  his  name  "  (Luke  6  :  38). 
Address „ 

254       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 


DIRECTION  FOR  USING  CARDS 

Sign  in  duplicate  two  cards. 

Return  one  to  the  committee. 

Keep  one  for  reference. 

Enclose  amount  as  pledged  and  put  in  the  regular  Sabbath  collection. 

In  case  of  absence  send   by  some   other  hand  or  remit  by  most  con- 
venient way. 

A  faithful  and  prompt  compliance  with  this  pledge  will  make  a  success- 
ful and  vigorous  church. 

Collection  envelopes  will  be  furnished  each  subscriber. 


CXXIX 

Clearwater  Church   (1900) 

It  is  located  on  the  Clearwater,  a  tributary  to  the  Queets  River, 
about  fifty  miles  north  of  Gray's  Harbor.  It  was  organized  in  1900 
with  nine  members.  The  same  year  Rev.  L.  W.  Ross,  of  Hoquiam, 
wth  another  brother,  his  true  yokefellow,  complied  with  an  invita- 
tion to  visit  the  little  church,  and  we  give  the  brother's  account  in  his 
own  language: 

We  reached  them  at  the  close  of  our  fourth  day's  journey  on  foot, 
weary  and  worn,  late  Friday  evening.  Saturday  we  rested.  Sunday 
opened  fair  and  bright,  and  we  met  for  three  services.  Every  man, 
woman,  and  child  in  the  community,  save  one  bachelor,  attended  all  serv- 
ices. As  the  word  was  preached,  it  fell  "into  good  soil.  The  following 
week  we  visited  from  house  to  house  and  held  several  meetings.  The 
Lord's  Day  dawned  again,  and  was  full  of  cheer,  and  brought  gladness  to 
every  heart. 


PART  IV 

BAPTIST  HISTORY  IN  BRITISH  COLUMBIA 

(1874-1900) 


INTRODUCTION 

In  British  Columbia  Baptist  history  began  in  December,  1874, 
by  the  arrival  in  Victoria  of  Alexander  Clyde  and  his  family  from 
Stratford,  Ontario.  He  began  at  once  to  search  for  Baptists,  and 
found  a  few  of  them  who  met  together  in  their  houses  for  prayer 
and  mutual  consultation  over  Baptist  interests  in  the  province.  We 
have  always  had  an  admiration  for  that  old  Baptist  church  in 
Stratford.  It  must  have  been  doing  business  for  the  Master  under 
the  Great  Commission  if  this  family  is  a  sample  of  the  members  the 
church  is  rearing  and  sending  out  to  bless  the  world.  The  author  has 
a  very  pleasant  memory  of  his  acquaintance  with  this  family,  and  of 
his  entertainment  at  their  home,  and  he  has  a  similar  memory  of  all 
the  families  and  persons  finally  gathered  into  the  first  Baptist  church 
in  the  Province  of  British  Columbia. 

This  church  was  the  nucleus  of  the  rich  unfolding  of  Baptist 
life  and  activity  in  these  picturesque  cities,  landscapes,  valleys,  and 
mountains,  rich  in  productions,  salubrious  in  climate,  beautiful  for 
situation,  lying  practically  upon  the  foothills  of  what  has  latterly 
developed  into  the  richest  mining  district  of  the  world.  Here  too 
was  a  growing  population  of  high  business  and  social  standing,  very 
cultured  and  progressive,  with  the  usual  number  of  sinners  among 
them  needing  just  such  a  gospel  as  the  Clydes  and  their  associates 
brought  from  a  sister  province  under  the  direction  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  whose  blood  alone  cleanses  from  all  sin  (Matt.  28: 18-20). 

From  this  beginning  it  will  be  necessary  to  follow  the  history 
of  this  first  Baptist  church  planted  in  the  province  until  it  opens  into 
the  larger  field  of  general  Baptist  activities.  In  doing  so,  we 
shall  follow  in  part  a  "Historical  Sketch  of  the  Calvary  Baptist 
Church,"  into  which  the  first  church  formed  was  finally  merged.  We 
suppose  that  this  sketch  was  written  by  Rev.  Walter  Barss,  the 
much  esteemed  and  now  sainted  pastor  of  the  Calvary  Church,  who 
had  so  large  a  share  in  giving  the  Baptist  cause  in  Victoria  pre- 
eminence and  success. 


Mr.    Alexander    Clyde 


Mrs.  Alexander  Clyde 


Mr.  Caleb  Bishop 


Mrs.  William  Spofford 


CHAPTER  I 
BEGINNINGS 

Initial  work  in  Victoria.  Building  of  the  first  meeting-house.  The  first  revival 
meeting.  The  dedication  of  the  first  building.  The  North  Star  Mission  named,  and 
aid  secured  by  Rev.  J.   C.   Baker. 

Victoria  was  then  a  city  of  about  four  thousand  inhabitants, 
and  the  seat  of  the  provibional  government.  With  its  famous  navy- 
yard  at  Esquimalt,  it  was  then  the  largest  city  in  British  Columbia 
and  the  most  important  as  a  base  for  Christian  effort,  and  it  promised 
to  be  so  in  the  future. 

In  the  month  of  December,  1874,  the  Baptist  cause  in  Victoria  as- 
sumed a  visible  form.  At  that  time  Mr.  Alexander  Clyde,  having  come 
with  his  family  from  Stratford,  Ontario,  began  to  seek  out  the  few  Baptists 
in  the  city,  who  met  at  each  other's  houses  for  prayer  and  exhortation. 
A  time  of  beginning  was  this,  but  "  who  hath  despised  the  day  of  small 
things."  This  little  flock  decided  to  secure,  if  possible,  an  under-shepherd. 
and  following  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  John  Sluggett,  sent  an  invitation  to 
Mr.  William  Carnes,  of  Ontario,  to  become  their  spiritual  leader.  Mr. 
Carnes  accepted  the  call,  and  in  the  March  following  (1876)  reached 
Victoria.  Under  his  direction  the  brethren  met  together  on  May  the 
third,  and  organized  themselves  into  a  regular  Baptist  church,  which  in 
the  following  September  was  received  into  the  Puget  Sound  Association, 
reporting  that  it  had  been  recognized  in  July  by  a  council  representing 
Oakland,  Cal. ;  Oregon  City,  Ore. ;  Seattle  and  Centralia,  Wash.,  and 
that  it  was  already  building  a  church  edifice  at  an  estimated  cost  of 
about  $5,000.  All  of  the  sixteen  constituent  members  are  living  at  the 
present  date  of  writing  (June,  1886),  and  seven  are  connected  with  the 
Calvary  Church.  The  need  of  a  place  of  worship  was  then  so  greatly 
felt  that  early  in  June,  the  same  year,  arrangements  were  made  to  pur- 
chase a  building  site  valued  at  $1,150,  and  erect  thereon  a  chapel  thirty- 
six  by  fifty  feet,  the  necessary  funds  being  borrowed.  These  plans  were 
promptly  carried  out,  and  in  January,  1877,  the  Baptist  chapel,  now  known 
as  Temperance  Hall,  was  opened  for  divine  worship,  and  in  this  sacred 
cause  was  used  for  six  years. 

A  few  weeks  later,  in  February,  1877,  the  church  records  "  one 
of  the  most  suggestive  events  in  its  history,"  to  wit,  the  visit  of  Rev. 
J.  C.  Baker,  of  San  Francisco,  who  assisted  the  pastor  for  sixteen 
days  in  holding  special  evangelistic  services.  As  a  visible  result  of 
these  meetings,  fifteen  professed  conversion.  At  the  same  time  a 
vigorous  effort  was  made  to  throw  off  the  heavy  debt  (about  $6,000), 
and  nearly  $2,000  was  pledged.  On  February  19.  1877,  there  was  ad- 
ministered the  first  baptism  by  immersion  ever  witnessed  in  Victoria. 
The  Colonist  (newspaper),  in  referring  to  that  event,  said: 

The  sacred  edifice  was  crowded  to  its  utmost  capacity.  .  .  Rev.  J.  C. 

Baker   preached    an    able   sermon    on    God's    plan    of    redemption,    and   a 

^  257 


258      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

solemnity  such  as  we  have  seldom  witnessed  came  over  the  congregation 
as  the  candidates  were  led  into  the  water.  .  .  Strong  men  were  seen  weep- 
ing, and  a  deep  impression  was  made. 

During  this  meeting  the  house  was  solemnly  dedicated  to  the 
service  of  God  and  humanity;  and  the  people  sang,  "  I  was  glad  when 
they  said  unto  me,  *  Let  us  go  into  the  house  of  the  Lord ' " 
(Ps.  122). 

Leaving  Victoria  with  his  heart  overflowing  with  love  for  the 
great  Head  of  the  church,  who  by  his  love  had  constrained  him  to 
perform  this  service  for  him  in  this  northwest  city  of  the  continent, 
the  author  was  moved  to  name  this  the  "  North  Star  Mission  of  the 
Baptists  " ;  and  he  immediately  began  an  effort  to  raise  funds  from 
the  denomination  sufficient  to  cover  all  the  indebtedness  of  the  church, 
less  the  mortgage  of  $3,000,  which  the  brethren  thought  could  suc- 
cessfully be  cared  for  in  instalments  if  the  floating  debt  were 
canceled. 

With  the  purpose  of  canceling  this  debt,  the  author  took  up  the 
North  Star  Mission  as  a  specialty  wherever  he  traveled,  often  ma- 
king journeys  of  no  inconsiderable  length,  aside  from  his  regular 
work,  to  reach  persons  that  he  thought  would  be  likely  to  aid  the 
mission.  He  also  prepared  a  circular  which  was  widely  distributed 
calling  attention  to  the  great  field  opening  to  us  in  British  Columbia; 
he  wrote  letters  and  mentioned  the  North  Star  Mission  in  his  corre- 
spondence for  Eastern  journals.  By  these  means  he  collected  $359; 
and  deducting  his  expenses,  $38.35,  he  remitted  to  the  church  $320.65 
in  gold  coin,  for  which  he  holds  the  receipt  of  the  church.  This, 
added  to  the  pledges  he  obtained  while  in  Victoria,  makes  a  total  of 
$1,710.65.  To  perform  this  service,  he  had  traveled  an  extra  thou- 
sand miles,  aside  from  his  journey  to  and  from  San  Francisco  to 
dedicate  the  church.  He  gave  a  full  half-month's  service  to  the 
church  in  Victoria ;  wrote  nearly  four  hundred  letters ;  sent  out  four 
thousand  circulars,  scattering  them  widely  over  the  coast;  and  wrote 
letters  to  all  our  leading  religious  journals  in  the  East  and  South,  and 
in  Canada.  He  likewise  wrote  to  many  personal  friends  in  Chicago, 
St.  Louis,  Detroit,  Philadelphia,  New  York,  and  Boston,  and  ob- 
tained a  hearing  before  the  ministers'  meetings  in  several  cities, 
everywhere  making  a  specialty  of  the  North  Star  Mission  and  of 
British  Columbia  as  an  unprecedented  opening  for  mission  work  in 
North  America. 

The  chief  value  the  author  sees  in  these  later  years  in  such  a 
work  as  this,  is  found  in  the  great  interest  it  aroused  on  the  Pacific 
Coast  and  in  the  timely  aid  given  by  Associations  and  Conventions  in 
the  States  of  Washington,  Oregon,  and  California,  and  by  the  Ameri- 
can Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  the  final  outcome  of  which  was 
the  formation  of  a  most  intelligent  and  prosperous  convention  that  is 
now  merged  in  the  greater  organized  work  in  Ontario. 

In  his  "Field  Notes,"  Bro.  J.  C.  Baker  says: 


BEGINNINGS  259 

British  Columbia  as  a  missionary  field  for  Baptists  is  destined  to  oc- 
cupy a  very  conspicuous  place  in  our  work  on  this  coast  from  this  time 
on.  We  would  not  ignore  it  if  wc  could ;  we  cannot  if  we  would.  It  is 
given  by  God  to  the  Baptists  of  the  coast  as  a  ward  to  rear  and  nurture, 
to  foster  and  guide,  till  it  shall  become  strong  in  the  Lord  Jesus  to  do 
valiant  service  and  independent  work  for  him. 

To  one  never  on  the  ground,  Victoria,  Vancouver  Island,  B.  C,  seem 
a  long  way  off,  a  cold  barren  region,  as  if  nothing  like  civilization,  or 
wealth,  or  refinement  could  be  found  or  developed  there.  But  what  are 
the  real  facts? 

First,  taking  the  whole  year  together,  you  have  as  healthful  and 
enjoyable  a  climate  as  can  be  found  bn  the  coast,  except  in  special 
localities,  and  a  soil  adapted  to  producing  cereals,  root  crops,  and  fruits 
of  nearly  all  kinds,  of  the  first  quality. 

Secondly,  here  are  mineral  lands,  both  extensive  and  rich.  Gold, 
silver,  copper,  iron,  and  coal  abound,  and  are  being  developed  with 
commendable  energy.  In  the  second  annual  report  of  the  Minister  of 
Mines,  just  now  presented  to  the  Provincial  Parliament,  beginning  its 
session  this  week  in  Victoria,  I  find  the  actual  yield  of  gold  un  to  187s 
estimated  at  over  $38,000,000.  The  two  coal  mines,  Vancouver  and  Well- 
ington, put  out  for  the  same  year  110,145  tons  of  coal,  and  show  an 
increase  of  28,597  tons  over  the  previous  year. 

Thirdly,  the  annual  school  report  of  1875-1876  has  been  kindly  fur- 
nished me,  by  which  I  learn  that  the  province  has  a  well-organized  school 
system  efficiently  at  work. 

Fourthly,  the  dwellings  are  homelike  and  pleasant,  many  of  them 
elegant.  If  you  were  here  to-day,  February  23,  you  would  almost  think 
you  were  in  Kentucky  in  April,  or  in  some  of  the  Eastern  States  in  May. 
You  realize  at  once  that  you  are  surrounded  by  intelligence  and  refine- 
ment, by  wealth  and  development.  Among  the  commonwealths  of  this 
Pacific  Coast,  the  Province  of  British  Columbia  is  already  taking  high 
rank,  and  will  continue  to  hold  a  conspicuous  position. 

Of  the  more  than  two  million  Baptists  of  America,  some  have  already 
found  their  way  here,  and  many  more  will  come.  Among  the  people 
here,  Baptist  sentiments  prevail  as  largely,  perhaps,  as  in  other  places. 
Most  of  the  school  districts  are  without  Sunday-schools ;  there  are  some 
Baptists  in  all  the  towns,  and  Baptist  families  scattered  over  all  the 
settled  portion  of  the  country. 

I  hope  to  get  a  favorable  response  to  my  request  of  the  Home 
Mission  Society  to  aid  in  the  support  of  Brother  Carnes.  Then,  cannot 
we  carry  out  the  suggestion  made  in  my  last  "  Field  Notes,"  and  make 
an  effort  to  aid  the  Victoria  church  on  the  third  Sunday  in  March? 
I  know,  brethren,  that  I  am  asking  an  extraordinary  effort;  but  I  believe 
that  it  is  demanded,  and  that  none  of  us  will  be  sorry  to  have  some 
money  invested  in  the  cause  of  our  blessed  Redeemer  in  this  North 
Star  Mission. 


CHAPTER  II 
THE  VICTORIA   CHURCH 

A  pastorless  church.  Pastor  J.  H.  Teale.  Pastor  George  Everton.  Period  of 
great  tribulation.  A  ray  of  light.  The  colored  problem.  Sending  out  Brother  Gowen. 
Division   of  the  church.     Pastor  J.   H.   Beaven.     The   church  disbanded. 

This  first  church  of  Victoria  consisted  of  about  equal  numbers 
of  white  and  colored  people  working  in  perfect  harmony.  The  race 
prejudice  that  prevailed  in  the  United  States  was  not  found  there. 
The  colored  people  conducted  a  large  and  respectable  business;  they 
owned  property;  commanded  respect  as  business  men,  and  were 
treated  as  equals  in  the  different  churches.  They  did  most  of  the 
draying  of  the  city,  and  owned  many  of  the  carriages  used  both  for 
hotel  and  pleasure  transit.  In  the  First  Baptist  Church  they  were 
as  wealthy  as  the  whites,  if  not  more  so.  It  was  evident,  however, 
that  the  union  of  the  two  classes  in  one  church  could  not  exist  for 
many  years;  but  it  was  hoped  and  believed  that  it  would  continue 
until  the  church  had  grown  to  such  numbers  and  ability  that,  when 
the  change  did  come,  there  would  be  a  brotherly  division,  and  each 
would  be  ready  and  able  to  take  up  a  separate  work  marked  by  the 
color  line. 

Not  long  after  the  dedication,  some  difficulty  arose  in  connection 
with  the  pastor;  but  whether  it  had  anything  to  do  with  the  color 
line  or  not,  the  author  has  no  data  to  determine.  One  of  the  deacons, 
prominent  in  the  affairs  of  the  church,  wrote  to  the  author  under  the 
date  of  May  7,  1877: 

Mr.  Games  has  left  Victoria ;  whether  to  return  or  not,  we  do  not 
know.  A  gentleman  from  England  is  here  on  business,  a  Baptist;  and 
he  is  keeping  up  the  services  for  us.  .  ,  The  brethren  sent  out  for  me  to 
come  in,  as  Brother  Carnes  had  left  with  a  threat  that  if  he  ceased  to  be 
pastor,  the  church  would  not  secure  the  money  you  were  collecting  for 
them.  .  .  A  business  meeting  was  held,  in  which  it  developed  that  the 
pastor  had  charged  some  of  the  members  with  dishonesty,  and  used  other 
expressions  of  like  character  while,  at  the  same  time,  the  members  had 
been   doing  all  they  could   for  him. 

Brother  Carnes  was  of  a  fiery  temper,  and  so  were  some  of  the 
brethren;  and  the  breach  became  so  wide  that  his  return  was  not 
desirable. 

After  the  pastoral  relation  was  severed,  the  pulpit  was  vacant 
until  September  16,  1877,  when  Rev.  J.  H.  Teale,  of  California,  be- 
came pastor  and  labored  faithfully  about  a  year  and  a  half  before  he 
took  charge  of  the  Oregon  City  church.  Brother  Teale's  pastorate 
was  hopeful  in  many  respects.  In  November,  1877,  Dea.  C.  Bishop, 
260 


THE   VICTORIA   CHURCH  26l 

the  superintendent  at  the  Esquimalt  Navy-yard,  writes:  "Our  con- 
gregations are  good;  our  prayer  meetings  largely  attended.  There  is 
hope  for  our  cause  here.  Brother  Teale  is  winning  golden  opinions." 
Under  the  date  of  September,  1878,  Brother  Teale  writes:  "We 
have  started  a  Chinese  mission  in  Victoria,  with  Mrs.  Celia  Mc- 
Naughton  as  superintendent.  We  hope  to  be  able  to  interest  many  of 
our  brethren  and  sisters  in  this  mission."  Brother  Teale's  pastorate 
continued  until  December,  1878.  We  quote  from  Bro.  M.  E.  Traver's 
letter  in  the  Baptist  Beacon  concerning  his  resignation: 

Victoria,  B.  C,  December  23,  1878. 

Having  spent  a  few  weeks  in  Victoria  now  for  the  third  time  since 
the  formation  of  the  Baptist  church  there,  I  thought  a  few  lines  might 
be  acceptable. 

Our  beloved  brother,  J.  H.  Teale,  resigned  his  pastorate  some  three 
weeks  since,  to  take  effect  the  first  of  January.  This  action  was 
prompted  solely  by  a  sense  of  duty ;  but  of  this  no  acquaintance  of 
Brother  Teale's  needs  assurance.  His  desire  is  to  go  wherever  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  may  indicate,  and  where  he  can  be  most  useful  in  the 
service  of  the  Master.  He  is  anxious  to  effect  a  reduction  of  church 
indebtedness  before  he  leaves ;  if  possible,  to  remove  the  floating  debt  of 
the  church  about  $450  yet  unpaid  or  unprovided  for.  If  this  can  be 
extingruished,  the  church  will  be  relieved  from  present  embarrassment,  as 
they  are  allowed  a  term  of  years  to  meet  the  remainder  of  the  indebted- 
ness, viz..  $3,000. 

The  church  also  says  in  the  same  paper: 

We  regret  exceedingly  that  Rev.  J.  H.  Teale  has  resigned  the  pas- 
torate of  this  church,  to  take  effect  in  January.  He  thinks  he  will  be 
able  to  remove  the  floating  debt  from  the  church  before  leaving.  This 
will  be  a  blessed  result  to  reach,  and  his  whole  pastorate  and  other 
work  in  British  Columbia  must  be  considered  as  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful it  has  been  our  privilege  to  record.  Of  this  we  will  say  more 
in  our  next  issue,  when  we  have  the  data  before  us.  We  hope  Brother 
Teale  will  enter  upon  work  in  Oregon  at  an  early  day,  unless  he  is 
unable  to  carry  out  his  purpose  of  completing  his  course  of  study,  and 
then,  of  course,  he  will  settle  here  and  do  his  life  work.  Now  this  im- 
portant field  would  be  destitute  of  a  pastor.  But  God  will  certainly  send 
them  a  man  as  he  did  before.  May  God  bless  the  church  and  outgoing 
pastor  is  the  prayer  of  many  hearts. 

The  pulpit  was  then  occupied  for  about  a  year,  beginning  in 
March,  1879,  by  Rev,  George  Everton,  of  Woodstock,  Ontario,  after 
whose  departure  the  church  was  again  left  without  a  spiritual  leader. 
Deacon  Bishop  speaks  highly  and  hopefully  of  this  brother,  and  the 
new  pastor  is  much  encouraged  as  his  letters  show.  We  quote  from 
the  Baptist  Beacon  of  July,  1879: 

Brother  Everton.  writing  at  a  later  date,  speaks  of  the  Ladies'  Aid 
Society  as  doing  nobly.  They  assumed  a  debt  of  $34,  and  in  six  weeks' 
time  had  paid  $20  of  it.  Brother  Everton  says  they  are  not  only  working 
harmoniously,  but  increasing  in  numbers.  May  the  dear  Master  soon  lift 
the  cloud  from  over  this  church  and  allow  them  freedom  from  debt. 


262       BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

A  sister  from  Victoria  writes,  sending  us  three  subscriptions  for 
the  Beacon,  with  a  reasonable  assurance  of  more  to  follow.  She  speaks 
encouragingly  of  their  church,  and  in  the  highest  terms  of  their  pastor ; 
she  also  speaks  of  the  cause  at  New  Westminster  as  being  in  fine  condi- 
tion. These  are  important  points,  and  the  Lord  seems  to  have  sent  the 
right  man  to  the  right  place. 

The  period  after  Brother  Everton  left  may  fitly  be  called  a  time 
of  great  tribulation;  but  a  ray  of  light  streamed  through  the  gloom 
when  Rev.  Joseph  Beaven,  of  California,  accepted  the  pastorate  in 
May,  1881,  continuing  his  official  labors  about  a  year  and  a  half.  The 
ray  of  light  was  appreciated,  but  hardly  flooded  the  darkness.  In 
addition  to  its  great  financial  burden,  the  church  had  become  divided 
on  the  color  line,  a  division  which  for  years  had  been  growing  not 
only  in  the  church,  but  also  in  the  city  generally.  Being  so  equally 
divided,  both  in  numbers  and  ability,  both  in  money  and  service,  our 
church  was  liable  to  be  broken  up  by  this  internal  division.  The 
Board  of  the  North  Pacific  Convention,  which  had  adopted  the  church 
as  a  mission,  from  the  reports  received,  feared  its  destruction,  and 
sent  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  the  president  of  the  Board,  to  Victoria  to  ex- 
amine and  adjust  the  conflicting  elements.  Mr.  Baker  went  to 
Victoria  in  March.  Finding  that  the  trouble  grew  out  of  the  busi- 
ness of  the  church,  over  which  the  members  had  divided  on  the  color 
line,  he  called  a  meeting  of  the  entire  church  for  consultation. 
Seeing  no  hope  of  settlement  in  the  committee  of  the  whole,  he 
asked  for  a  committee  of  six,  three  of  each  class,  to  formulate  and 
report  a  plan  of  adjustment.  The  committee,  after  a  long  and  prayer- 
ful conference,  reported  to  the  adjourned  meeting  of  the  church,  at 
which  all  the  members  were  present,  as  follows : 

Your  committee,  appointed  to  recommend  a  plan  for  the  more  suc- 
cessful prosecution  of  the  work  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Victoria, 
taking  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case  into  consideration,  and  the  present 
embarrassment  of  our  work,  would  respectfully  recommend  that  the 
entire  business  and  management  of  the.  church  be  given  into  the  hands  of 
either  the  colored  members  or  the  white  members  as  the  church  shall 
decide  by  vote.  Respectfully  submitted, 

Dea.  C.  Bishop, 
A.  Clyde, 
T.  W.  Pierre, 
A.   J.    Clyde, 
Dea.    M.    F.    Bailey, 
F.    Richard, 
Victoria,  B.  C,  March  31,  1881.  Committee. 

Upon  the  presentation  of  this  recommendation  to  the  church,  the 
following  address  was  delivered  by  Mr.  Baker : 

Dear  Brethren  and  Sisters  :  On  coming  to  Victoria  under  direction 
of  the  Missionary  Board  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  Convention,  I  was 
sorry  to  find  that  you  had  not  been  working  harmoniously  together,  and 


Mr.  A.  J.  Clyde 


Mrs.  A.  J.  Clyde 


Mrs    C.  Spofford 


THE    VICTORIA    CHURCH  263 

that  there  seemed  very  little,  if  any,  probability  that  you  could  do  so  in 
the  future,  on  account  of  race  prejudice  on  the  one  hand,  and  race 
sensitiveness  on  the  other.  I  found  also  that  the  cause  we  all  love  is 
being  brought  into  disrepute,  and  hindered  in  its  progress  because  these 
obstacles  could  not  be  overcome  and  harmony  secured.  I  found  also 
that  both  the  white  and  colored  members  of  the  church  had  borne  alike 
the  unusually  large  expense  which  the  church  has  been  obliged  to  meet 
in  carrying  forward  its  work  to  the  present  time.  I  found  also  that  the  pres- 
ent commercial  value  of  your  property  was  covered  entirely  by  a  mortgage 
of  $3,000  on  the  same,  upon  which  you  were  paying  ten  per  cent  interest, 
which,  added  to  insurance  also  held  as  collateral  to  secure  the  mortgage. 
made  an  outlay  of  $341  annually,  besides  your  incidental  expenses  and 
the  support  of  a  pastor,  which  would  add  at  least  $1,100  more,  reckoning 
$1,000  for  a  pastor  and  $100  for  incidentals,  thus  making  a  total  of 
$1,441  annually. 

I  was  sent  here  by  the  Board  to  set  if  the  condition  and  prospects 
of  the  church  were  such  that  I  could  recommend  the  settlement  of  a 
pastor,  under  appointment  of  the  Board,  and  whose  salary  should  be 
paid  in  part  by  the  same.  This  I  could  not  do,  in  the  condition  in  which 
I  found  the  church,  for  reasons  already  stated.  I  theri  asked  for  a 
committee  of  conference,  consisting  of  three  of  the  leading  men  from 
each  side.  This  committee  was  appointed  and  had  a  free,  full,  and 
brotherly  conference,  and  they  have  presented  their  report  for  your 
adoption,  as  in  their  adjustment  the  wisest  thing  to  be  done. 

If  you  adopt  this  plan  heartily,  and  in  a  Christian  spirit,  I  think  the 
following  points  will  be  gained : 

1.  It  will  open  the  way  for  the  party  taking  charge  of  the  business  and 
management  of  the  church  to  mature  plans  for  the  settlement  of  a 
pastor  and  the  payment  of  the  mortgage  in  w;hich  there  could  be 
unanimity,  and  the  church  could  be  saved  from  disrepute. 

2.  It  will  open  the  way  for  the  other  party  quietly  to  withdraw  from 
the  church,  and  to  organize  a  new  church  whenever  in  their  judgment  it 
will  best  subserve  the  cause  of  Christ  and  please  themselves. 

3.  Under  such  management  the  final  result  will  be,  I  believe,  to 
draw  to  the  support  of  the  Baptist  cause  the  entire  Baptist  element  in 
the  city,  both  white  and  colored. 

4.  It  will,  I  believe,  secure  the  hearty  co-operation  of  our  Board  with 
the  party  taking  the  management  of  the  church,  whether  white  or  colored, 
until  the  debt  can  be  paid  or  the  church  can  become  self-sustaining,  pro- 
vided the  management  be  conducted  with  ordinary  business  forecast 
and  in  a  Christian  spirit. 

5.  I  believe  such  a  course  would  finally  result  in  the  organization  of 
a  second  Baptist  church.  I  think  that,  when  brethren  cannot  agree,  the 
wisest  course  is  to  separate  in  a  friendly  wa}%  and  for  each  to  work 
in  his  own  way  and  according  to  his  own  preference ;  and  by  so  doing 
1  believe  God  will  be  better  pleased,  and  churches  more  respected  in  the 
community,  and  much  more  can  be  done  for  the  conversion  of  men. 

Now,  if  you  will  heartily  adopt  this  plan,  I  will  then  meet  immediately 
with  the  party  taking  charge  of  the  church,  and  arrange  to  send  a  mis- 
sionary pastor  here  to  take  charge  of  the  work  at  the  earliest  possible 
time  our  Board  can  send  him;  and  I  will  also  help  the  other  party  to 
the  extent  of  my  ability  as  soon  as  it  should  organize  by  itself. 

Dear  brethren,  I  love  you  all  alike  as  Christ's  followers.  I  pray 
for  your  peace  and  prosperity.  I  have  spent  much  time  and  money  in 
the  past  to  help  you.  I  desire  to  help  you  now.  I  recommend  the  adop- 
tion of  the  plan ;  because  all  things  considered.  I  believe  it  to  be  the 
best  thing  to  be  done.     Now,  may  the  God  of  Peace  help  you  to  decide 

wisely  is  the  praver  of  vour  brother  in  Christ.  ^    „   - 

J.  C.  Baker. 


264       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

The  report  was  then  adopted.  Here  it  should  be  understood  that 
there  was  a  spirit  of  real  Christian  brotherhood  prevailing  through 
all  the  various  meetings,  notwithstanding  the  tension  under  which 
all  w-ere  laboring.  As  one  result  of  Brother  Baker's  visit,  Rev. 
Joseph  Beaven  was  installed  as  missionary  pastor  in  May,  188 1.  In 
June  of  the  same  year  the  church  was  represented  by  delegates  in 
the  Puget  Sound  Association. 

Meantime  the  church  sent  one  of  its  members,  Bro.  Thomas 
Gowen  to  the  other  provinces  and  to  England  to  obtain  help  to  lift 
the  debt;  a  service  which  apparently  he  faithfully  performed  without 
the  adequate  results. 

The  following  is  the  report  of  the  Board  to  the  Convention  con- 
cerning  this   mission : 

Victoria^   B.   C. 

This  field,  over  which  the  Board  has  had  so  much  anxiety,  is  now 
supplied  with  a  permanent  pastor.  In  January,  1881,  we  sent  the  president 
of  our  Board,  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  to  examine  the  condition  of  the  work, 
and  if  possible,  to  adjust  matters  at  Victoria.  The  white  and  colored 
people  being  about  equal  in  numbers  in  the  church,  and  it  seeming  impos- 
sible for  the  two  elements  to  harmonize  in  their  work,  it  was  finally 
agreed  to  adopt  the  report  of  a  committee  of  six  brethren,  three  white  and 
three  colored,  which  had  been  appointed  to  recommend  to  the  church  a 
plan  for  future  operation,  in  substance  as  follows :  "  That  the  entire 
business  and  management  of  the  church  be  put  in  charge  either  of  the 
white  or  colored  members,"  with  the  understanding  that  the  other 
party  should  have  the  privilege  of  withdrawing  and  forming  a  new 
church  at  their  option.  After  the  church  adopted  the  report  of  the 
committee,  the  management  was  offered  to  the  colored  people ;  but  they 
were  not  willing  to  accept  it,  and  it  was  finally  given  in  charge  of  the 
white  members.  The  colored  members  have  mostly  withdrawn,  but  as 
yet  have  organized  no  church.  The  Board,  through  its  president,  has 
proffered  them  aid  if  they  will  do  so.  On  assuming  charge  of  the 
church,  the  brethren  invited,  upon  recommendation.  Rev.  Joseph  Beaven, 
of  Salinas  City,  Cal.,  to  visit  them,  which  resulted  in  his  receiving  a 
call  from  the  church  to  become  its  pastor,  and  he  is  now  laboring  there 
under  the  appointment  of  the  society.  They  have  thoroughly  organized 
their  forces,  the  work  is  taking  on  a  look  of  permanence,  and  hope  is 
inspired.  If  they  can  succeed  with  their  sinking  fund,  which  they  are 
providing  for  their  church  debt,  our  cause  will  go  forward  in  Victoria, 
and  this  looks  somewhat  hopeful,  though  the  struggle  will  last  for  some 
years.  The  folly  of  creating  church  debts  in  the  erection  of  houses  of 
worship  is  fully  exemplified  here.  It  is  a  policy  which  we  make  every 
effort  to  discourage. 

In  June,  1881,  the  church  gave  the  following  report  to  the  Puget 
Sound  and  British  Columbia  Association : 

Victoria.  We  have  been  without  a  pastor,  but  have  kept  up  our 
Sunday  services.  Sunday-school,  and  prayer  meetings.  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker, 
of  Salem,  visited  us  in  March  to  see  in  what  way  the  church  here  could 
be  put  on  a  more  prosperous  footing.  Bro.  W.  E.  M.  James,  the  newly 
appointed  missionary  for  Puget  Sound  and  British  Columbia,  has  been 
with    us    a   few    Sabbaths.     At    present    we    have    Bro.    J.    Beaven,    from 


THE    VICTORIA    CHURCH  265 

California,  laboring  amongst  us;  we  believe  he  is  the  man  for  this  field, 
and  hope  the  Mission  Board  will  do  all  it  can  to  sustain  him  here,  as 
we  pledge  ourselves  to  do  what  we  can.  Most  of  the  colored  brethren 
have  gone  out  from  us,  which  leaves  us  with  a  membership  of  only 
twenty-six.     May  God  bless  you  in  all  your  meetings ! 

In  June,  1882,  we  find  the  following  record  of  the  Victoria 
church  in  the  minutes  of  the  Association: 

We  record  with  gratitude  the  goodness  of  God  to  us  within  the 
past  year.  Our  growth,  though  slow,  we  trust  is  permanent.  Services 
have  been  held  regularly  on  the  Lord's  Day,  also  a  ladies'  and  young 
people's  prayer  meetings.  We  have  a  monthly  missionary  meeting  in 
connection  with  a  mission  circle.  We  have  reduced  the  debt  on  the 
church  two  hundred  dollars,  and  have  made  contributions  to  home  and 
foreign  missions. 

We  are  praying  and  waiting  for  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit. 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  CALVARY  BAPTIST  CHURCH 

The  fatal  blow.  The  mortgage  foreclosed.  The  church  homeless.  In  a  rented 
hall.  Not  long  dead.  The  new  church.  Two  strenuous  people.  The  new  name. 
The  new  lot.  The  call  answered.  A  great  revival.  The  new  edifice  dedicated.  The 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.     The  new  mission.     Anticipating  the  future. 

Early  in  June,  1883,  just  after  Mr.  Beaven  had  removed  to 
Tacoma,  the  long-dreaded,  long-averted  blow  suddenly  fell;  the 
mortgage  was  foreclosed,  and  the  chapel-child  of  many  prayers,  tears, 
and  sacrifices,  on  which  several  thousand  hard-earned  dollars  had 
been  expended,  passed  into  other  hands. 

The  brethren  continued  for  five  months  to  hold  meetings  in 
Masonic  Hall,  and  on  June  3,  1883,  disbanded.  But  all  was  not  lost, 
for  hope  was  not  lost,  and  even  in  death  there  was  the  promise 
and  potency  of  life.  The  visit  of  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  at  this  time,  ac- 
companying Miss  Fields,  returned  missionary,  was  most  opportune. 
Grasping  the  situation  of  affairs,  he  advised  the  disbanded  members 
to  reorganize,  and  make  arrangements  to  secure  a  pastor  and  church 
lot  and  building.  Inspired  by  his  wise  enthusiasm,  the  church  arose 
on  the  third  day  from  the  ashes  of  her  shattered  hopes,  and  on 
the  fifth  of  June,  1883,  the  twenty-three  brethren  reorganized  under 
the  name  of  the  Calvary  Baptist  Church. 

From  this  day  onward  there  was  evidence  of  steady  though 
quiet  growth.  Late  in  October  a  lot  on  Herald  Street  was  purchased 
for  $700;  and  in  the  month  following,  owing  chiefly  to  the  earnest 
efforts  of  Mr.  Thomas  Haughton,  the  Home  Mission  Society  prom- 
ised the  church  a  gift  of  $700  annually,  and  an  additional  $500  on 
the  completion  of  the  new  church  edifice.  A  call  to  the  pastorate 
was  extended  in  the  following  February  to  Mr.  Walter  Barss,  of 
Nova  Scotia,  then  completing  his  theological  studies  in  Rochester, 
N.  Y.  The  call  was  accepted,  and  after  graduation  and  ordination, 
and  after  months  of  work  on  behalf  of  the  financial  interest  of  the 
church,  the  pastor  entered  upon  his  work  September  20,  1884.  As 
the  weeks  rolled  by,  signs  of  growth  became  so  encouraging  that  at 
a  meeting  held  May  13,  1885,  it  was  heartily  resolved  to  take  active 
steps  toward  erecting  a  house  of  worship.  While  these  building  ar- 
rangements were  progressing,  a  quiet  but  blessed  revival  quickened 
the  church  into  new  life. 

Rev.  Dr.  Graves,  of  New  York,  arriving  very  opportunely  at  this 
time,  special  evangelistic  services  were  conducted  by  him  for  three 
weeks,  which  proved  to  be  a  great  spiritual  blessing  to  the  member- 
.ship.  The  pastor  was  then  suddenly  laid  aside  by  a  serious  illness 
266 


Dea.  Thomas  Haughton 


Mrs.  Robert  Moran 


Mrs.  J.  L.  McNaughton 


THE    CALVARY    BAPTIST    CHURCH  26/ 

for  several  weeks,  but  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  general  missionary,  was' 
providentially  enabled  to  assist  the  church  most  efficiently  in  the 
work  of  ingathering.  The  pastor  was  raised  up  to  resume  his  labors 
early  in  November,  and  in  the  following  month  the  new  chapel  on 
Herald  Street,  which  had  been  for  several  months  under  construc- 
tion, was  publicly  dedicated  to  God's  sevice,  it  being  the  second 
Baptist  place  of  worship  in  British  Columbia.  The  thirteenth  of 
December,  1885,  will,  therefore,  ever  be  regarded  as  a  memorable 
epoch  in  our  denominational  history.  On  that  occasion  the  church 
was  favored  with  the  presence  of  Revs.  R.  Lennie,  of  New  West- 
minster; A.  B.  Banks,  general  missionary;  J.  C.  Baker,  Superintend- 
ent of  Missions,  and  J.  Q.  A.  Henry,  pastor  of  First  Church,  Port- 
land, who,  by  request,  preached  the  dedication  sermon.  The  church 
owes  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  Pastor  Henry,  through  whose  efforts, 
with  God's  blessing,  money  pledges  were  obtained  sufficient  not  only 
to  provide  for  the  debt  on  the  church,  but  to  complete  the  original 
plans  by  building  an  addition  for  Sunday-school  and  prayer  meet- 
ings; about  $1,243  being  subscribed  on  the  day  of  dedication.  The 
schoolroom  was  forthwith  commenced,  and  on  March  23  was  opened 
for  use. 

Thus  the  Calvary  Baptist  Church,  which  two  years  ago  num- 
bered twenty-seven  members,  without  a  pastor  and  without  a  home, 
now  numbers  seventy-nine  members  who,  with  their  under-shepherd, 
can  worship  God  in  their  own  sanctuary. 

To  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  this  church  will 
be  under  lasting  obligations,  for  with  Christian  magnanimity  they 
reached  a  helping  hand  across  their  own  national  boundary  into 
Canadian  territory,  and  with  prompt  and  hearty  generosity  relieved 
their  struggling  brethren. 

This  sketch  would  be  incomplete,  however,  without  mention  of 
the  Baptist  mission  organized  at  Spring  Ridge,  a  suburb  of  Victoria, 
on  the  Sunday  before  dedication,  December  6.  This  Sunday-school 
enterprise  w-as  started  and  has  since  been  held  at  the  house  of  Bro. 
P.  Wilson;  over  forty  names  are  now  enrolled,  and  a  small  mission 
chapel  is  greatly  needed.  Cottage  prayer  meetings  have  been  held  in 
that  same  neighborhood  every  week,  which  have  been  seasons  of 
refreshing. 

In  thus  reviewing  the  past  with  its  precious  lessons,  and  antici- 
pating the  future  with  its  promised  blessings,  let  us  look  away  from 
the  creature  to  the  Creator  through  whom  alone  this  work  has  been 
successfully  accomplished,  and  exclaim  with  humble  gratitude.  "  Not 
unto  us,  O  Lord;  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name,  give  glory"  (Ps. 
115:1). 

The  pastorate  of  Brother  Barss  in  Victoria  was  phenomenal.  He 
came  to  his  work  here  from  Rochester  Theological  Seminary  with  an 
acknowledged  record  from  the  faculty  of  high  standing  and  thorough 
preparation.     He   came   to    a   field   of   great   importance    and   great 


268       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

possibilities,  with  obstacles  to  overcome  sufficient  to  tax  to  the 
full  a  man  of  large  experience  and  superior  abilities.  In  the 
initial  work  he  showed  ability  of  a  high  order,  which  foretold  his 
future.  In  1887  his  church  had  increased  to  one  hundred  and  eight 
members.  Spring  Ridge  Mission  was  in  a  chapel  of  its  own,  with  a 
flourishing  Sunday-school,  a  weekly  prayer  meeting,  and  occasional 
preaching  by  the  pastor.  Another  outstation  had  been  taken  up  at 
South  Saanich,  with  several  conversions,  the  pastor  preaching  there 
on  alternate  Sunday  afternoons. 

Brother  Barss  resigned  his  pastorate  in  the  fall  of  1887,  with 
one  hundred  and  eight  members  enrolled,  after  three  years  of  suc- 
cessful but  perhaps  too  strenuous  work.  It  may  have  been  partly  the 
cause  of  his  early  death,  which  occurred  in  Geneva,  N.  Y.,  in  1891. 
He  was  loved  and  honored,  but  the  Lord  had  need  of  him  in  his 
upper  mansions. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg,  also  a  graduate  of 
Rochester;  a  man  of  fine  presence,  standing  high  as  a  preacher;  a  man 
of  experience  and  of  ability  to  carry  forward  the  work  so  auspiciously 
beg^n  in  this  important  and  growing  city.  He  was  called  in  Novem- 
ber, soon  after  Mr.  Barss  closed  his  work.  Special  services  were 
held,  and  many  additions  followed.  He  was  assisted  in  these  meet- 
ings by  the  celebrated  evangelist,  Rev.  George  Robert  Cairns,  whose 
presence  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast  was  always  a  benediction.  The 
church  was  now  prospering  in  all  departments  of  its  work.  Brother 
Rugg's  pastorate  continued  for  four  years,  in  which  period  the  church 
gained  such  strength  of  character  as  gave  it  easy  prestige  as  the 
leading  Baptist  church  in  the  province,  a  position  which  it  still  main- 
tains. 

The  church  has  recorded  all  this  in  a  beautiful  appreciation  of 
his  services  when  he  closed  his  work  in  1892 : 

During  the  j'car  we  have  erected  a  neat  mission-school  building  at  a 
cost  of  $1,000;  also  enlarged  our  schoolroom  in  the  city  to  double  its 
former  size.  Various  branches  of  church- work  have  been  well  sustained. 
Rev.  M.  L.  Rugg  closed  his  labors  with  us  after  four  years  of  faithful 
work.  The  church,  weak  when  he  came,  when  he  left  had  one  hundred 
and  ninety  members,  with  a  second  church  as  a  branch  from  the  parent 
stem.     His  was  a  most  blessed  and  fruitful  ministry  indeed. 

Rev.  J.  E.  Coombs  was  Brother  Rugg's  successor,  holding  the  pas- 
torate in  1893.  Brother  Coombs  was  a  young  man  of  good  abilities 
and  pleasant  address,  of  an  evangelistic  turn  of  mind.  He  was  a 
favorite  with  the  young  people,  but  his  pastorate  was  too  short  to 
impress  itself  very  strongly  either  upon  the  church  or  upon  the  life 
of  the  growing  city. 

Rev.  Thomas  Baldwin  succeeded  Brother  Coombs  in  1894.  As 
in  the  case  of  Brother  Coombs,  the  brevity  of  Brother  Baldwin's 
pastorate  prevented  his  full  ability  from  appearing  in  any  reported 
results  that  can  be  tabulated.     Brother  Baldwin  was  a  strong  man; 


THE    CALVARY    BAPTIST    CHURCH  269 

in  some  ways  he  was  among  the  strongest  we  have  had  on  the  field. 
He  excelled  as  a  preacher,  especially  along  doctrinal  lines,  and  was 
always  heard  with  interest  and  profit.  His  experience  in  the  ministry 
and  his  general  good  judgment  made  him  a  man  often  to  be  con- 
sulted. He  had  a  strong  personality,  and  often  put  out  views  of  his 
own,  both  in  the  interpretation  of  Scripture  and  in  the  practical  lines 
of  organized  denominational  development.  While  not  always  carry- 
ing the  majority  with  him,  he  was  both  practically  efficient  and 
intensely  biblical,  possibly  too  much  so  for  extended  pastorates;  but 
what  he  built  had  a  sound  basis  upon  which  to  stand.  He  was 
well  liked  by  the  church  and  by  the  city  in  general. 

Rev.  Ralph  W.  Trotter  followed  Doctor  Baldwin  in  1885,  and 
held  the  pastorate  until  after  the  organization  of  the  British  Columbia 
Baptist  Convention,  of  which  he  was  a  conspicuous  constituent  mem- 
ber. He  was  a  pastor  of  repute,  and  showed  strength  as  an  adviser 
of  denominational  movements. 


CHAPTER  IV 
THE  NEW  WESTMINSTER  CHURCH 

New  Westminster  in  1878.  Baptist  beginnings.  Constituent  members.  House- 
to-house  services.  Services  in  the  courthouse.  The  Sunday-school.  The  pastor  from 
Victoria. 

The  second  Baptist  church  in  British  Columbia  was  the  OHvet 
Church  of  New  Westminster,  organized  August  8,  1878.  This  church 
bore  a  conspicuous  part  in  laying  the  foundation  for  Baptist  church 
growth  in  British  Columbia,  and  deserves  a  record  next  to  the 
Calvary  Church  in  Victoria.  New  Westminster  was,  at  this  date, 
the  second  city  in  size  and  wealth  in  British  Columbia,  and  was 
fast  growing  into  prominence.  It  is  located  on  the  Eraser  River,  at 
the  head  of  navigation,  and  had  a  population  of  about  three  thousand 
and  several  public  buildings. 

Like  the  church  at  Victoria,  this  church  had  a  memorable  early 
history.  In  August,  1878,  the  following  persons  banded  together  to 
effect  a  Baptist  beginning  in  this  beautiful  city,  namely:  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Matthew  Grey,  James  Turnbull,  William  Freed,  C.  M.  Mc- 
Naughton,  and  John  Williams.  For  some  time  the  services  were  held 
in  the  homes  of  the  members;  but  a  Sunday-school  was  opened  in  a 
rented  hall  with  good  success.  Finally,  arrangements  were  made 
with  Rev.  J.  H.  Teale  of  the  Victoria  church  to  preach  once  a 
month  at  New  Westminster.  It  was  Brother  Teale,  in  connection 
with  Rev.  J.  T.  Huff,  general  missionary  of  the  Baptist  Missionary 
and  Educational  Society,  who  had  organized  the  above  members  into 
a  church  under  the  name  of  the  Olivet  Baptist  Church.  This  arrange- 
ment with  Brother  Teale  could  be  .only  temporary,  but  it  had  its 
place  in  prospecting.  Two  persons  were  baptized,  but  soon  left  the 
city.  When  Brother  Teale  could  come  no  longer,  the  brethren  still 
held  together,  having  services  at  least  when  Providence  favored  them 
with  a  visiting  minister. 

It  was  early  in  1878  that  the  Baptist  Missionary  and  Educational 
Society,  which  afterward  became  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the 
North  Pacific  Coast,  sent  their  general  missionary.  Rev.  J.  T.  Huff, 
to  British  Columbia  for  several  months  of  work.  His  first  work  was 
in  Victoria,  and  as  next  in  importance  he  took  up  the  work  at  New 
Westminster.  Since  New  Westminster  was  then  only  second  to 
Victoria  as  a  strategic  point  for  Baptist  effort,  we  give  the  full 
history  of  the  beginning  of  the  Baptist  church  there,  which  will 
appear  in  the  three  following  letters,  published  in  the  Baptist  Beacon 
for  September,  1878:  < 

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THE    NEW    WESTMINSTER    CHURCH  271 

The  "  Baptist  Beacon  " 

(The   following  private   letter   is   of   such   deep    interest   to    all   our 

people  that   we  publish   it   entire. — Ed.) 

Victoria,  B.  C,  August  13,  1878. 
Rev.  J.  C.  Baker: 

My  Dear  Brother:  Brother  and  Sister  Huff  spent  the  first  Sabbath  in 
this  month  with  our  church.  Brother  Huff  preached  morning  and  evening, 
with  great  acceptance  to  the  people.  I  am  more  and  more  persuaded  that 
Brother  and  Sister  Huff  are  specially  called  and  prepared  for  this  mis- 
sionary work.  God  is  blessing  them  in  it.  On  Tuesday,  the  sixth,  we 
went  aboard  the  steamer  Enterprise,  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company, 
crossed  the  Straits  of  Georgia,  and  proceeded  up  the  Eraser  River  to  the 
beautiful  town  of  New  Westminster.  Here  we  found  the  brethren  glad 
to  welcome  us,  and  the  streets  strewn  with  posters  announcing  service 
for  the  evening.  There  was  very  manifest  humility  and  willingness  to 
do  whatever  the  Lord  directed,  so  on  Thursday  evening  the  First  Baptist 
Church  of  New  Westminster  was  regularly  organized  with  seven  mem- 
bers. The  material  of  this  church,  for  the  quantity,  is  good  and  very 
promising.  There  are  two  experienced  deacons,  an  experienced  and  faith- 
ful church  clerk  from  our  own  church  in  Victoria,  an  organist,  a  choir 
leader,  and  a  zealous  young  man  evangelist.  Two  were  received  for 
baptism,  and  Brother  Huff  administered  the  ordinance  on  Sunday.  There 
are  about  a  dozen  more  Baptists  in  the  place,  who  will  unite  soon,  and 
several  of  them  by  baptism.  A  family  of  our  congregation  left  Victoria 
to-day  to  make  their  home  in  New  Westminster.  Brother  Huff  will 
continue  his  work  there  for  some  days,  and  will  no  doubt  be  the  means 
of  bringing  in  other  members.  The  night  after  the  organization  took 
place.  Rev.  H.  W.  Brown  was  present  in  the  meeting  with  us.  making 
it  quite  an  interesting  occasion,  as  his  coming  was  wholly  unexpected. 
The  language,  which  seemed  most  appropriate  to  us  on  that  night,  was, 
"Behold  what  God  hath  wrought!"  Only  four  months  before  I  had 
visited  the  place  for  the  first  time,  and  Brother  Turnbull  told  me  he  knew 
of  no  other  Baptists  in  the  place  besides  himself.  But  now  a  church  is 
organized,  candidates  coming  forward  for  baptism,  and  a  Baptist  pastor, 
a  Baptist  missionarj^  and  a  Baptist  evangelist  all  in  the  field  at  once. 

The  Hudson  Bay  Company  passed  us  up  and  back  free  of  charge, 
and  furnished  us  with  the  best  of  meals  in  the  bargain.  W^e  are  under 
many  obligations  to  them  and  their  accommodating  steamer  stewards. 

Rev.  R.  W.  Brown,  an  evangelist  of  national  repute,  commenced 
meetings  here  in  our  church  at  Victoria  and  in  the  Presbyterian  church 
last  Sunday  with  good  congregations.  They  are  continuing  every  night 
with  growing  interest.  Prejudice  is  rank  in  some  quarters,  but  good  fruit 
is  maturing. 

We  expect  to  go  with  a  delegation  from  our  church  soon  to  recognize 
the  new  church  at  New  Westminster.  I  wish  you  could  be  with  us 
and  rejoice  over  this  newly  born  sister.  The  New  Westminster  church 
expects     to  be  represented  at  Puget  Sound  Association  next  month. 

At  Victoria  we  have  just  received  $150  from  England,  being  money 
raised  by  Brother  Gowen  while  there.  This  has  been  banked  with  what 
you  sent  us  to  await  such  time  as  we  can  meet  the  whole  floating  debt. 

Our  brethren  are  laboring  hard  to  increase  the  pastor's  salary  and 
pay  an  insurance  policy  on  his  home  of  $75.  It  is  money!  money!  all 
the  time.  I  am  astonished  at  the  patience  of  some  of  them.  (The  Lord 
Jesus  stands  over  against  the  treasury  and  keeps  the  accounts. — Ed.) 

Send  us  a  few  more  extra  Beacons,  if  you  can ;  T  am  getting  more 
new   subscribers. 

Much  Christian   love   to  the   brethren,  J.   H.   Teale. 


2/2       BAPTIST    HISTORV    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Victoria,  August  23,  1878. 

Dear  Brother  Baker;  I  arrived  in  Victoria  on  July  31,  and  re- 
mained and  preached  twice  for  Brother  Teale.  Did  what  I  could  in  the 
way  of  visiting  among  his  people.  All  seemed  to  appreciate  our  visit. 
On  Tuesday,  August  7,  started  for  New  Westminster.  Brother  Teale 
went  with  us.  On  our  arrival  we  found  a  meeting  advertised  for  the 
evening  at  the  Good  Templar's  Hall.  At  the  hour  appointed  nearly  all 
the  Baptist  brethren  w-ere  there,  and  we  found  them  a  very  earnest, 
faithful  band,  although  few  in  number.  We  held  meetings  every  night 
and  twice  on  Sabbath  for  two  weeks.  Brother  Teale  remained  with  us 
from  Tuesday  until  Saturday  of  the  first  week,  doing  all  he  could.  We 
visited  together  every  family  or  person  we  could  hear  of  who  had  been 
raised  a  Baptist.  On  Thursday,  August  9,  we  organized  a  Baptist  church 
with  seven  members,  and  after  the  organization  two  were  received  for 
baptism.  The  next  evening  Brother  Teale  preached  a  sermon  to  the  new 
church,  at  the  conclusion  of  which  one  person  was  received  into  the 
church  on  her  experience.  At  the  organization  of  the  church  two 
deacons  were  selected,  both  of  whom  had  served  in  that  office  before. 
One  of  them  is  a  leader  in  music.  One  of  the  sisters  is  a  teacher  of 
music,  and  she  will  act  as  organist.  On  Sabbath,  at  3  p.  m.,  a  large 
number  of  persons  gathered'  on  the  bank  of  Fraser  River  to  witness  the 
baptism  of  a  dear  brother.  A  solemn  impression  was  made  by  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  ordinance.  Very  many  of  them  had  never  witnessed 
an  immersion  before,  and  this  was  probably  the  first  time  the  waters  of 
the  grand  old  Fraser  River  were  used  in  the  administration  of  gospel 
baptism.  In  the  evening  we  had  a  much  larger  congregation  than  before. 
During  the  meeting  quite  a  number  seemed  anxious  about  their  salvation, 
and  some,  I  trust,  were  fully  rejoicing  in  the  Lord.  To  him  be  all  the 
glory. 

On  Friday  evening,  August  16,  we  organized  a  Sabbath-school,  and 
the  church  appointed  the  hour  for  meeting  at  ten  Sabbath  morning,  at 
which  time  five  classes  were  formed.  Thirty-two,  old  and  young,  were 
present.  They  made  arrangements  for  singing  books,  but  of  papers  and 
library  books  they  have  very  few.  Can  the  Publication  Society  help  them 
toward  a  library  or  Bibles?  if  so,  it  will  be  thankfully  received.  (The 
supplies  needed  were  furnished  by  the  American  Baptist  Publication 
Society,  from  Salem,  or  partly  by  donation. — Ed.)  Their  superintendent's 
name  is  J.  Willian,  and  Brother  Teale  has  promised  to  give  you  the  par- 
ticulars of  the  organization  of  the  church,  and  also  the  recognition  serv- 
ice; therefore   I   will  omit  that. 

I  sent  you  five  names  for  the  Beacon  from  New  Westminster, 

J.  T.  Huff. 

Recognition  Service 

Victoria,  B.  C,  August  28,  1878. 

Dear  Beacon  :  The  Baptists  of  this  province  have  lately  enjoyed 
privileges  and  received  blessings  for  which  they  wish  to  accord  their 
thanks.  The  coming  to  us  of  Missionary  Huff  and  Evangelist  Brown, 
together  with  the  organization  and  recognition  of  a  new  church  at  New 
Westminster,  are  events  long  to  be  remembered  by  us.  The  Baptist 
church  at  Victoria  no  longer  stands  alone  in  the  province  and  sisterless. 
The  most  northwest  outpost  of  our  Baptist  Zion  is  now  at  New  West- 
minster, and  not  here.  A  faithful  little  garrison  has  been  established 
there  for  the  defense  of  truth.  They  mean  to  "  hold  the  fort " ;  yes. 
more  than  this,  for  the  people  have  a  mind  to  work.  This  church  called 
a  council  which  convened  on  the  twentieth  of  August  and  duly  recognized 
it  as  a  regularly  organized   Baptist  church.     The  council  was  composed 


THE    NEW    WESTMINSTER    CHURCH  273 

of  a  large  delegation  from  the  Victoria  Baptist  church,  and  the  following 
visiting  brethren :  Rev.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  T.  Huff,  Oregon  City  church. 
Ore.,  Rev.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  W.  Brown,  Baptist  church,  Wisconsin ;  Bro.  C. 
H.  Harris,  First  Baptist  Church,  Oakland,  Cal.  The  council  organized  by 
appointing  J.  H.  Teale,  chairman,  and  Albert  Clyde,  secretary.  The 
sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  H.  W.  Brown,  the  evangelist,  the  charge 
to  the  church  given  by  J.  H.  Teale,  and  the  hand  of  fellowship  ex- 
tended by  Rev.  J.  T.  Huff,  of  Oregon  City.  The  church  has  a  membership 
of  ten,  with  a  good  prospect  of  increase.  Some  await  baptism.  An  in- 
teresting Sunday-school  of  thirty-five  scholars  was  organized  the  second 
Sunday  after  the  organization  of  the  church.  This  church  expects  to 
have  and  support  preaching  at  least  a  part  of  the  time.  Let  all  the 
brethren  remember  this  new  and  needy  mission  field.  Their  first  con- 
tribution to  our  mission  is  $26. 

In  our  meeting  at  Victoria,  Rev.  Mr.  Read  and  congregation  united 
with  us  in  Mr.  Brown's  work,  but  the  rest  of  the  churches  stood  aloof. 
Congregations  were  good,  but  not  very  large.  Many  express  their 
thankfulness  for  Mr.  Brown's  coming  here,  and  many  in  and  out  of  our 
church  testify  to  having  been  greatly  benefited.  Some  have  been  re- 
stored to  joyous  fellowship,  and  quite  a  number  are  inquiring  the  way 
of  life.     Oh.  for  wisdom  to  know  how  to  gather  the  ripening  harvest! 

Your  brother, 

J.  H.  Teale,  Moderator. 

In  1879  Bro.  M.  E.  Traver,  from  Puget  Sound,  visited  the  city  on 
business,  and  reports  to  the  Baptist  Beacon  as  follows : 

I  have  recently  visited  Nanaimo,  a  coaling  port,  perhaps  one  thousand 
two  hundred  inhabitants.  There  are  three  Pedobaptist  societies  in  the 
place,  besides  Roman  CathoHcs.  Between  Nanaimo  and  Wellington,  a 
small  mining  town  seven  miles  distant,  at  a  stage  station,  the  proprietor, 
also  another  gentleman,  each  invited  a  lady  passenger  if  she  would  accept 
something  to  drink — wine  or  other  liquor.  A  sad  commentary  this,  I 
thoug'ht,  upon  the  existing  state  of  morals. 

At  New  Westminster,  a  thriving  pleasant  town  on  Fraser  River, 
there  is  an  organization  consisting  of  ten  faithful  members.  Its  prayer 
meeting  is  the  first  I  remember  having  attended  where  all  take  part. 
None  there  that  have  a  name,  and  are  dead.  I  first  met  one  of  the 
members  as  a  stranger,  who,  at  his  own  home,  asked  me  if  I  would 
accept  a  tract.  Feeling  rebuked  for  my  remissness,  I  commended  his 
fidelity,  when  he  enforced  his  excellent  example  by  saying,  "  We  do  not 
know  how  short  the  time  may  be  that  we  are  permitted  to  work  for 
our  blessed  Lord." 

A  serious  reflection,  certainly.  I  found  its  author  poor  in  this  world's 
goods,  but  rich  in  all  that  constitutes  true  riches.  I  was  not  greatly 
surprised,  and  not  a  little  gratified,  to  learn  he  was  connected  with  the 
Baptist  interest  at  Westminster.  Services  are  held  there  twice  each  Sab- 
bath in  the  Good  Templar's  Hall.  Once  each  month  supplied  by  Brother 
Teale,  the  remainder  of  the  time  by  two  of  the  brethren.  Another 
member,  fourth  in  order  that  I  have  referred  to.  who  had  charge  of  the 
prayer  meeting  the  evening  that  I  was  present,  could,  I  am  sure,  if  oc- 
casion required,  fill  the  desk  acceptably  and  with  profit  to  his  hearers. 

New  Westminster  then  had  a  population  of  about  three  thousand. 
The  mission  Board  of  the  Convention  regarded  it  as  a  field  of  unusual 
importance,  and  every  possible  effort  was  made  to  secure  a  pastor, 
s 


274      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Supplies  were  obtained  as  the  church  had  opportunity.  The  Board 
sent  its  general  missionary  and  Sunday-school  missionary  to  encour- 
age the  members.  Rev.  W.  E.  M.  James,  the  Sunday-school  mission- 
ary, spent  some  time  with  the  church  in  1881,  and  Rev.  A.  J.  Hun- 
saker  was  also  sent  to  labor  there  for  a  time.  No  pastor  was  ob- 
tainable, however,  until  February,  1885,  when  Rev.  Robert  Lennie 
preached  his  first  sermon  in  the  courthouse.  Very  naturally  the 
church  became  disheartened  by  this  long  probation.  The  changes 
incident  to  a  new  and  growing  country  depleted  their  ranks,  since 
some  members  left  for  other  more  promising  places  to  expend  their 
energies  and  build  up  their  homes;  but  a  few  brethren  held  on,  be- 
lieving they  had  a  right  to  the  promise  of  the  Master :  "  Fear  not, 
little  flock,  it  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom." 
The  history  of  the  coming  of  the  first  pastor  is  full  of  interest, 
showing  how  the  Holy  Spirit  leads.  It  seemed  good  to  the  brethren 
and  to  the  Holy  Spirit  that  none  other  than  Rev.  Robert  Lennie, 
pastor  of  the  church  at  Dundas,  Ontario,  Can.,  and  a  graduate  of 
Spurgeon's  College,'  London,  England,  should  have  the  high  privi- 
lege of  the  pastorate.  In  1884  the  North  Pacific  Baptist  Convention 
sent  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  then  Superintendent  of  Missions,  to  Detroit. 
Mich.,  to  represent  its  work  on  the  Northwest  Coast  at  the  National 
Anniversaries.  Brother  Lennie  was  present  at  those  meetings,  heard 
the  address  of  Brother  Baker,  and  sought  an  interview  which  he 
describes  as  follows: 

With  a  view  to  obtaining  a  field  of  labor  on  the  Pacific  slope,  I  had 
an  interview  with  Mr.  Baker.  Among  other  spheres  he  mentioned  New 
Westminster;  but  considering  the  state  of  my  health  and  the  evident 
arduousness  of  the  work  to  be  done  with  such  a  feeble  interest,  I 
declined  to  enter  into  negotiations  with  respect  to  the  field. 

It  appeared,  however,  that  Providence  had  otherwise  directed, 
for,  after  arriving  with  his  family  on  the  coast  and  settling  for  a 
short  period  in  Whatcom,  W.  T.,  at  the  re(^uest  of  the  Superintendent 
of  Missions  and  of  the  Board,  Brother  Lennie  was  induced  to  visit  the 
field  in  November,  1884.  The  result  of  this  visit  and  of  a  visit  by  the 
superintendent  was  the  settlement  of  our  brother  over  the  church. 
Pastor  Lennie's  first  sermon  on  the  field  was  preached  in  the  court- 
house on  the  afternoon  of  the  first  Lord's  Day  in  February,  1885,  to  a 
very  fair  attendance. 

To  some  people  it  was  a  matter  for  marvel  how  a  band  of  four 
church-members,  without  a  superabundance  of  the  world's  goods, 
could  think  of  sustaining  a  pastor  whose  family  comprised  nine 
persons,  and  surmisings  outside  were  not  wanting  that  the  thing 
could  not  be  done;  indeed,  it  was  thought  presumptuous  for  such  a 
handful  of  people  to  attempt  establishing  an  additional  church  in  the 
city.  But  we  record  with  praise  to  the  great  Head  of  the  church  and 
gratitude  to  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  the  pastor 


THE    NEW    WESTMINSTER    CHURCH  2/5 

has  been  sustained  and  the  cause  estabHshed.  There  has  no  doubt 
been  the  exercise  of  self-denial  on  the  part  of  pastor  and  people,  but 
the  result  is  more  than  gratifying. 

Every  other  denomination  in  the  city  had  received  from  the  local 
government  a  grant  of  two  building  lots;  and  when  the  pastor  ac- 
cepted the  charge,  he  was  led  to  believe  that  his  church  would  share 
with  the  others.  But  to  his  disappointment  he  soon  discovered 
that  no  government  property  was  available  for  the  Baptists.  Applica- 
tion for  lots  was  made  to  the  city  council  with  a  similar  result. 
Bro.  James  TurnbuU  had  for  some  time  given  the  church  to 
understand  that  he  would  donate  a  building  lot  for  their  purpose  or 
its  equivalent  in  cash,  provided  another  site  were  chosen.  When  a 
few  months  after  the  pastor's  settlement  the  church  decided  to  erect 
a  house  of  worship,  it  had  barely  the  faith  to  undertake  such  a  build- 
ing as  it  now  possesses.  But  circumstances  arose  to  defer  oper- 
ations. Every  delay  was  a  gain  in  the  size,  architecture,  and  sub- 
stantiality of  our  church  home. 

This  elegant  house — the  offspring  of  many  prayers  and  much 
anxiety  to  all  the  members,  especially  the  building  committee,  and 
more  especially  the  pastor — was  dedicated  to  the  Lord  on  the  first 
day  of  the  week,  December  12,  1886.  The  edifice  is  of  red  brick, 
semi-Gothic  in  style,  forty-six  feet  square,  with  tower  and  spire, 
seated  in  amphitheater  style,  and  carpeted  and  cushioned  throughout. 
The  basement  contains  lecture  hall,  classrooms,  and  study;  it  is 
lighted  with  gas,  by  a  beautiful  reflector  suspended  from  the  ceiling. 
It  is  practically,  if  not  absolutely,  free  from  debt.  During  the  two 
and  a  half  years  of  pastoral  oversight  the  membership  has  increased 
from  four  to  fifty,  while  several  have  been  dismissed  to  other  fellow- 
ships, and  we  expect  soon  to  add  others. 

At  the  dedication  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  of  Salem,  Ore.,  preached  in 
the  morning,  Rev.  Walter  Barss,  M.  A.,  of  Victoria,  in  the  after- 
noon, and  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks  in  the  evening.  The  congregations  were 
good,  the  sermons  were  excellent,  and  the  subscriptions  and  donations 
liberal.  The  choir  of  the  Calvary  Baptist  Church,  Victoria,  gave  a 
rich  musical  treat  on  the  following  Monday  evening.  The  entire 
proceeds  of  all  the  services  were  nearly  $1,300. 

In  Brother  Lennie's  pastorate  of  two  years  and  a  half,  the  work 
at  Vancouver,  twelve  miles  away,  was  opened  by  him  as  a  mission 
of  the  New  Westminster  church.  Brother  Lennie  gives  the  follow- 
ing terse  history  of  the  mission : 

The  arm  of  our  church  has  reached  out  to  Vancouver,  the  terminus 
of  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway.  The  pastor,  at  an  early  date,  com- 
menced preaching  there ;  and  as  a  result  had  the  happiness  of  formingr  a 
church,  which  now  numbers  over  twenty  members,  and  by  the  time  this 
sees  the  light  will  have  her  own  settled  pastor  and  be  worshiping  in  her 
own  house,  with  the  prospect  of  soon  outgrowing  her  foster-mother.  We 
thank  God  and  take  courage.  "  Not  unto  us,  O  Lord ;  not  unto  us,  but 
to  thy  name  give  glory,  for  thy  mercy  and  for  thy  truth's  sake." 


2/6       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Brother  Lennie  not  only  organized  the  First  Baptist  Evangel- 
ist Church  of  Vancouver,  but  he  preached  to  it  one-fourth  of  the 
time,  until  Rev.  J.  W,  McDaniels,  of  Iowa,  was  settled  as  pastor  in 
1888. 

After  the  resignation  of  Brother  Lennie,  Bro.  Alfred  Stone,  a 
student  at  McMaster's  Hall,  supplied  the  Westminster  church  for  a 
time. 

In  1889  Rev.  Thomas  Baldwin  became  pastor;  and  this  was  a 
year  of  ingathering.  Thirty  were  baptized,  thirty-five  received  by 
letter,  and  there  was  a  net  gain  of  sixty  in  the  membership,  which 
was  now  one  hundred  and  thirteen.  Brother  Lennie's  salary  had  been 
$1,200  a  year,  one-half  paid  by  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society  by  recommendation  of  the  North  Pacific  Convention  Board, 
approved  by  the  Superintendent  of  Missions.  The  church  now  as- 
sumed self-support,  with  an  advance  of  salary  to  $1,500  a  year. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Best,  of  Ontario,  followed  Brother  Baldwin,  entering 
upon  his  pastoral  relations  in  June,  1890,  when  there  was  a  member- 
ship of  one  hundred  and  twenty-two.  In  1892  an  extensive  revival 
occurred,  and  the  pastor  was  assisted  in  special  meetings  by  Rev. 
J.  E.  Coombs.  The  membership  reached  two  hundred  and  sixty, 
and  all  departments  of  church  work  were  in  a  flourishing  condition. 
That  year  the  house  of  worship  was  enlarged  at  a  cost  of  $15,000. 
This  too  was  a  time  of  great  spiritual  development  and  activity. 
The  church  had  a  large  and  flourishing  Sunday-school,  a  young 
people's  society  numbering  sixty-five,  a  young  ladies'  self-denial 
society  of  twenty  members,  a  women's  missionary  society  carrying 
on  church  and  city  aid,  home  and  foreign  missions,  and  a  flourishing 
mission  band  of  twenty-four  members.  Each  of  these  societies  was 
supplied  with  an  efficient  corps  of  officers  and  leaders,  and  was 
healthy,  vigorous,  and  helpful  in  the  activities  of  the  church.  In 
February,  1895,  seven  deaconesses  were  elected;  each  being  married, 
they  added  much  to  the  working  force  of  the  church. 

A  mortgage  indebtedness  of  $12,000  had  been  transferred  to  an 
insurance  company,  reducing  the  interest  from  nine  to  six  per  cent, 
and  so  arranged  that  principal  and  interest  will  all  be  paid,  at  the 
given  rate,  in  twenty  years.  This  is  purely  an  English  plan,  and  in 
use  only  in  the  churches  belonging  to  the  British  Columbia  Conven- 
tion. 

Brother  Best's  pastorate  closed  after  five  years  of  very  successful 
work.  He  had  received  a  very  flattering  call  from  an  Eastern  field, 
but  decided  to  take  up  work  at  Rossland,  B.  C. 

We  now  leave  the  history  of  this  church  to  be  continued  by  the 
historian  of  the  British  Columbia  Convention. 


Rev.  P.  H.  McEwen  Hon.  William  Merchant 


Rev.  W.  T.  Stackhouse 


CHAPTER  V 
THE  CHURCHES  OF  VANCOUVER,  B.  C. 

I,  First  Church  (1887) 

The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Vancouver,  B.  C,  was  the 
third  Baptist  church  organized  in  that  province;  and  it  is  largely 
indebted  to  the  New  Westminster  church  for  its  beginning.  Rev. 
Robert  Lennie,  the  pastor  at  New  Westminster,  was  granted  leave 
for  one-fourth  of  the  time  to  take  up  work  at  Vancouver.  Since 
he  possessed  the  confidence  of  the  projectors  of  the  new  city,  their 
plans  were  outlined  to  him  and  to  Dea.  James  Turnbull  in  a  confer- 
ence had  with  the  promoters  for  that  purpose.  Thus  he  was  able, 
even  at  this  early  period,  to  forecast  the  importance  of  Christian 
work  there ;  and  he  determined  to  improve  the  opportunity.  To 
drive  twelve  miles  in  all  kinds  of  weather,  and  often  over  almost  im- 
passable roads,  and  yet  not  to  miss  an  appointment,  was  the  ex- 
perience of  this  frontier  worker.  He  was  urged  to  go  forward  by 
the  Superintendent  of  Missions,  who  kept  all  this  work  in  British 
Columbia  constantly  before  the  Home  Mission  Board  of  the  Con- 
vention and  preferred  aid  in  occupying  these  new  and  important 
centers  of  population  and  commerce.  At  first,  Brother  Lennie  held 
services  with  the  few  Baptists  he  could  find  on  week-day  evenings ; 
but  as  soon  as  a  suitable  place  could  be  obtained  his  church  permitted 
him  to  establish  an  appointment  for  Lord's  Day  services  once  each 
month. 

Finding  that,  in  the  hard  times,  a  heavy  debt  had  fallen  upon 
the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  of  such  a  character 
as  to  render  it  impossible  for  the  society  to  give  the  necessary  aid  to 
this  important  mission,  Brother  Lennie  appealed  the  case  to  the 
Dominion  Board.  By  request  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  Convention, 
the  Superintendent  of  Missions,  before  this,  memorialized  the  do- 
minion authorities  to  aid  the  work  in  British  Columbia  with  a  view 
to  its  probable  transfer  finally  to  their  care. 

This  memorial  from  the  superintendent  no  doubt  aided  in 
securing  a  favorable  response  to  Brother  Lennie's  petition  that  the 
Dominion  Board  would  undertake  to  send  a  missionary  to  Vancouver 
and  stand  by  him  until  the  mission  became  self-sustaining.  Provi- 
dentially, Rev.  William  McDaniel  came  to  the  field  about  this  time, 
and  was  induced  to  take  hold  of  the  mission,  and  held  it  with 
good  interest  until  the  arrival  of  Rev.  J.  B.  Kennedy  from  Ontario. 

Brother  Lennie  had  obtained  from  the  Canadian  Pacific  Rail- 
way Company  two  lots,  on  which  a  small  meeting-house  was  reared 
for  the  services,  and  in  Januarv.  1887,  the  First  Baptist  Church  of 

277 


2/8       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Vancouver  was  organized  with  ten  constituent  members;  the  number 
was  doubled  in  a  brief  time,  and  Rev.  J.  B.  Kennedy  was  installed  as 
pastor.  Brother  Kennedy  was  just  graduated  from  college;  and 
bringing  his  young  and  competent  wife  with  him,  appeared  to  be 
providentially  called  to  the  charge  of  this  young  church.  Conversions 
and  baptisms  followed  soon,  and  a  larger  meeting-house  was  needed. 

The  growth  of  the  city  by  this  time  had  indicated  better  the  most 
desirable  location  for  a  church.  Such  a  location  was  obtained,  and 
a  new  building  was  erected,  capable  of  seating  six  hundred  persons, 
and  provided  with  the  other  necessary  appointments  for  church 
work.  Brother  Kennedy  exerted  himself  to  the  utmost  to  provide 
funds  to  cover  the  whole  cost,  but  left  a  debt  of  $1,750.  He  and  his 
wife  were  greatly  beloved,  but  after  three  years  of  successful  work 
he  resigned  and  returned  to  the  East. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  W.  C.  Weir,  who  entered  upon  his 
work  in  the  fall  of  1890,  and  held  the  pastorate  for  nearly  five  years. 
At  this  time  there  was  a  large  ingathering  from  revivals,  substantial 
growth  in  the  church,  and  all  of  its  activities  were  well  directed. 
Two  new  churches  were  organized,  the  Mount  Pleasant  Church  and 
the  Jackson  Avenue  Church.  Though  about  fifty  members  went  out 
to  organize  the  two  churches,  yet  Brother  Lennie  says  that  the  at- 
tendance at  the  Lord's  Day  services  in  the  mother  church  was  not  per- 
ceptibly decreased.  When  Brother  Weir  resigned,  he  left  the  church 
with  a  membership  of  about  two  hundred  and  fifty. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  W.  T.  Stackhouse,  who  had  a  suc- 
cessful pastorate  covering  a  period  of  three  years,  extending  past  the 
time  of  the  organization  of  the  British  Columbia  Convention.  At 
that  time  we  leave  the  churches  of  British  Columbia  and  also  the 
conventional  and  educational  work  there  to  be  continued  by  their 
own  historian. 

It  is  my  purpose  to  continue  the  record  of  the  British  Columbia 
churches  as  long  as  they  were  co-operating  with  the  western 
Washington  churches  in  the  Northwest  Convention,  to  write  of  no 
church  not  entering  in  British  Columbia  into  the  organization  of  the 
British  Columbia  Convention,  and  of  none  after  the  date  of  that 
organization  in  1897. 

2.  Nanaimo  Church  (1889) 

This  church  was  organized  July  18,  1889,  with  fifteen  members, 
and  was  received  into  the  Northwestern  Association  at  its  annual 
session  in  1890.  The  town  of  Nanaimo  lies  seventy  miles  north  of 
Victoria;  it  is  reached  by  the  Esquimalt  and  Nanaimo  Railway;  and 
is  noted  for  its  mines,  the  payroll  of  which  amounted  in  those  early 
days  to  $70,000  monthly.  The  population  was  about  five  thousand. 
Rev.  J.  A.  Banton,  from  Ontario,  was  directed  to  this  field.  A  few 
Baptists  had  been  waiting  long  for  the  coming  of  a  leader.    Gathering 


THE    CHURCHES    OF    VANCOUVER,    B.    C.  2/9 

around  Brother  Banton,  they  soon  established  services  and  organ- 
ized a  church,  which  was  recognized  on  August  9,  1889. 

In  the  two  years  of  Brother  Banton's  pastorate,  fifty-one  were 
added  to  the  church,  fifteen  of  whom  he  baptized.  Lots  were 
secured,  and  a  house  of  worship  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $4,000. 

When  Brother  Banton  resigned.  Dr.  C.  E.  Good,  from  Woodland, 
Cal.,  succeeded  to  the  pastorate.  His  pastorate  was  closed  in  1893. 
In  1884  Rev.  A.  J.  Welsh  was  pastor,  with  forty-one  members.  In 
1896  Rev.  W.  A.  Gunston  was  pastor,  with  sixty-eight  members. 
These  short  pastorates  and  intervals  between  pastorates  were  not 
conducive  to  church  growth.  In  1897  the  church  went  into  the  British 
Columbia  Convention,  with  Rev.  W.  A.  Gunston,  pastor,  and  seventy- 
two  members. 

3.  Emmanuel  Church    (1890) 

Emmanuel  Church  grew  out  of  the  Spring  Ridge  mission  of  the 
Calvary  Church,  and  was  organized  in  August,  1890,  with  twenty- 
one  members  dismissed  from  the  mother  church  for  that  purpose. 
Five  years  before,  under  the  administration  of  Brother  Barss,  a 
Sunday-school  and  prayer  meeting  had  been  started  in  the  home 
of  Dea.  Peter  Wilson,  and  a  small  chapel  had  been  built;  and  now 
a  church  was  formed.  Rev.  C.  W.  Townsend  was  the  first  pastor,  and 
entered  upon  his  labors  in  October,  1890,  remaining  till  March,  1891, 
when  he  was  followed  by  Rev.  L.  A.  Cummins  for  three  months, 
and  then  by  Rev.  P.  H.  McEwen,  of  Paisley,  Ontario. 

After  Brother  McEwen  entered  upon  his  pastorate  in  June, 
1891,  the  church  soon  began  the  erection  of  a  new  building  to  cost 
$6,000,  and  kept  the  old  chapel  for  Sunday-school  purposes.  Brother 
McEwen's  pastorate  covered  a  period  of  five  years.  It  was  a  time 
of  steady  growth ;  and  a  strong  church  of  one  hundred  or  more 
members  was  built  up,  and  became  vigorous  and  well  organized. 

When  Brother  McEwen  resigned  to  become  pastor  of  the  Olivet 
Church  at  New  Westminster,  he  was  followed  by  Bro.  O.  E.  Kendall, 
a  ministerial  student,  who  served  the  church  acceptably  for  one 
year,  after  which  he  returned  to  the  East  to  pursue  his  studies. 

His  successor  was  Rev.  J.  G.  Hastings,  who  found  a  church  of 
one  hundred  and  eighteen  members,  a  Sunday-school  with  one 
hundred  and  forty  enrolled,  a  women's  circle  numbering  forty,  a  Bap- 
tist Young  People's  Union  of  twenty-eight,  and  all  in  a  flourishing 
condition. 

Under  the  ministry  of  Brother  Kendall  the  church  had  aided 
in  organizing  the  British  Columbia  Convention. 

4.  Chilliwack  Church    (1891) 

The  Chilliwack  First  Church  is  located  ten  miles  above  New 
Westminster  on  the  Fraser  River,  and  was  organized  in  March,  1891, 


28o       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

with  eleven  members,  by  Rev.  H.  L.  Brown.  In  1894,  however,  it 
was  reported  as  newly  organized  with  sixteen  members,  and  with  Rev. 
C.  C.  McCarty  as  missionary  pastor.  In  1895  and  1896  Rev.  P.  C. 
MacGregor  was  missionary  pastor  and  represented  the  church  at  the 
organization  of  the  British  Columbia  Baptist  Convention.  The  church 
then  reported  twenty-nine  members,  an  enrolment  of  thirty  in  the 
Sunday-school,  thirty-seven  in  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union,  and 
ten  in  the  mission  circle.  The  church  property  was  valued  at  $3,000, 
and  there  was  an  indebtedness  of  only  $500.  Chilliwack  is  situated 
in  a  prosperous  farming  community,  and  there  will  probably  be 
some  ministerial  students  and  some  men  of  strength  in  the  future 
records  of  this  thriving  church. 

5.  Vancouver  Mount  Pleasant  Church    (1891) 

This  church  was  begun  as  a  mission,  and  was  organized  with 
nineteen  members  from  the  Vancouver  First  Church  on  April  9,  1891. 
The  same  year  it  was  admitted  into  the  Northwestern  Association. 
Rev.  J.  A.  Banton  was  the  pastor.  In  1891,  also,  a  meeting-house 
was  erected,  thirty-two  feet  by  forty-eight,  with  a  seating  capacity 
of  two  hundred  and  fifty,  and  costing  $1,750. 

At  the  time  of  its  organization  this  church  was  thought  by 
some  to  be  located  too  far  out  in  the  outskirts  of  the  city;  but  a 
council  of  prominent  brethren,  of  which  Rev.  R.  Lennie  was  chair- 
man, recognized  the  church  as  necessary,  and  suitably  located. 

The  pulpit  appears  to  have  been  supplied  by  different  brethren. 

The  church  was  represented  at  the  first  session  of  the  British 
Columbia  Baptist  Convention  by  four  delegates,  of  whom  Pastor 
Thomas  Mulligan  was  one.  It  is  reported  as  having  a  total  member- 
ship of  thirty-two,  with  eighteen  in  the  Baptist  Young  People's 
Union,  nine  in  the  mission  circle,  and  ninety-one  in  the  Sunday- 
school.  The  value  of  the  house  of  worship  is  given  as  $1,500,  with 
a  debt  of  $700. 

6.  Mission  City  (B.  C.)  Church  (1893) 

In  July,  1893,  the  general  missionary.  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper,  came 
to  this  place  to  examine  the  situation,  and  see  what  prospect 
there  was  for  doing  mission  work  and  organizing  a  New  Testament 
church.  He  soon  arranged  that  Rev.  F.  L.  Pierce  should  hold 
services  here.  He  was  the  first  Baptist  minister  to  preach  in  Mis- 
sion City,  and  he  faithfully  presented  the  grand  old  gospel.  About 
two  months  later.  Brother  Proper  sent  Rev.  C.  C.  Marston  here. 
He  held  meetings  every  evening  for  nearly  a  fortnight  with  in- 
creasing interest ;  and  one  Sunday  morning,  after  a  convincing 
sermon  by  Brother  Marston  on  Christian  baptism,  four  happy  young 
men  were  baptized  by  Rev.  George  Taylor.    Two  of  them  had  never 


THE    CHURCHES    OF    VANCOUVER^    B.    C.  281 

seen  a  baptism  by  immersion,  but  through  the  study  of  the  New 
Testament  had  been  led  to  reject  the  forms  practised  by  Pedobaptists, 
and  were  unwilling  to  accept  immersion  from  those  who  had  not 
themselves  been  immersed.  Four  others  awaited  baptism  on  the  next 
Sunday,  with  more  to  follow.  A  Baptist  church  was  duly  organized, 
and  recognized  by  delegates  from  sister  churches,  and  extended 
a   call  to   Rev.   George   Taylor   to  be   its   pastor. 

In  October,  1893,  Mrs.  James  Tingley  was  clerk  and  reported  a 
membership  of  twenty,  with  two  baptisms.  In  1894  there  were  twenty- 
eight  members.  In  1895  the  same  number  is  reported;  and  in  1896, 
ten  members;  but  there  is  no  later  report. 

7.  Vancouver  Zion  Baptist  Church  ( 1894) 

The  Zion  Church,  another  offshoot  of  the  Vancouver  First 
Church,  was  organized  in  1894,  had  a  steady  growth,  and  secured 
a  good  property  in  the  east  end  of  the  city. 

One  of  its  pastors,  Rev.  William  Fair,  foundered  in  the  sea  of 
good  Baptist  doctrine,  and  attempted  to  get  out  by  starting  a  new 
industry  in  which  some  members  of  his  flock  took  stock  to  their  own 
detriment.  Finally,  however,  with  the  coming  of  the  level-headed 
Rev.  J.  C.  Mathews  as  pastor,  the  wandering  ones  of  the  flock 
heard  his  call  and  came  back  to  Zion  with  songs  and  joy,  which,  it 
is  to  be  hoped,  will  be  everlasting. 

There  were  eighty-six  members  in  the  church,  one  hundred 
and  ninety-nine  in  the  Sunday-school,  thirty-five  in  the  Baptist  Young 
People's  Union,  and  twelve  in  the  mission  circle.  The  church  home 
was  valued  at  $5,500,  and  the  members  had  a  debt  of  $1,750  to  keep 
them  busy. 

8.  The  Rossland  Church   (1896) 

It  was  organized  in  1896.  It  is  located  at  Rossland,  a  prosper- 
ous mining  town  of  five  thousand  inhabitants  in  the  Kootenay  region. 
Rev,  J.  H.  Best  became  pastor  in  June,  1897,  and  under  his  ministry 
a  fine  church  edifice  was  erected  without  debt.  It  was  early  in  his 
pastorate  that  the  British  Columbia  Baptist  Convention  was  or- 
ganized. 

9.  Nelson  Baptist  Church  (1897) 

This  church  is  located  in  the  Kootenay  mining  district  in  the 
growing  city  of  Nelson,  six  hundred  miles  from  the  coast.  Bro. 
G.  R.  Welch,  a  ministerial  student,  took  up  the  work  at  this  place 
in  July,  1897,  and  was  used  by  the  Master  in  gathering  a  church 
of  thirty-seven  members  and  in  organizing  a  Sunday-school,  a  Baptist 
Young  People's  Union,  and  a  Ladies'  Aid  Society.  When  Brother 
Welch  returned  to  college,  Rev.  C.  W.  Rose  took  up  the  work. 
The  church  was  self-sustaining  from  the  beginning. 


282       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

10.  The   Chemainus   Church    (1897) 

It  is  located  on  Vancouver  Island,  and  was  organized  with 
twelve  members  in  1897.  Its  work  is  carried  on  by  Rev.  J.  W. 
Williamson  and  Bro.  A.  J.  Welch,  and  the  members  are  planning 
to  erect  a  house  of  worship  at  an  early  date. 

II.  The  First  Church  of  Kamloops  (1888) 

This  church  was  organized  by  Rev.  Doctor  Spencer  on  October 
10,  1888. 

12.  The  Saanich   Church    (1888) 

It  was  organized  by  Rev.  R.  W.  Trotter  and  Doctor  Spencer 
and  other  persons  from  the  churches  at  Victoria,  on  December  13, 
1888,  with  eleven  members. 


PART  V 
AUXILIARY  ORGANIZATIONS 


BAPTIST  YOUNG  PEOPLE'S  UNION  OF 

WESTERN  WASHINGTON  AND 

BRITISH  COLUMBIA 

Work  of  Baptists  among  the  young  people  was  organized  as 
early  as  1876  when  the  First  Baptist  Church  reported  young  people's 
meetings  being  held.  As  early  as  1879  a  young  people's  meeting 
is  reported  as  being  conducted  at  the  Baptist  church  in  Brownsville, 
Ore.  These  meetings  beame  absorbed  in  the  Sunday-school  con- 
ventions and  institutes  being  directed  by  the  Publication  Society.  No 
general  or  organized  effort  was  made  in  Washington  for  the  young 
people  until  the  constitution  of  the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention 
was  framed  in  1888;  provision  was  made  in  Article  Eight  for  the 
young  people's  work,  as  follows: 

"  Such  time  shall  be  given  to  the  young  people's  work  as  shall  be 
agreed  upon  by  the  Program  Committee  and  the  Executive  Committee  of 
the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union," 

When  the  constitution  of  the  Young  People's  Union  was  formed, 
it  had  for  its  object: 

"The  unification  of  the  Baptist  young  people;  their  increased  spirit- 
uality; their  stimulation  in  Christian  service;  their  edification  in  Scrip- 
ture knowledge;  their  instruction  in  Baptist  doctrine  and  history;  and 
their  enlistment  in  all  missionary  activity  through  existing  denominational 
organizations." 

For  some  years  young  people's  societies  had  been  organized  in 
our  churches  under  various  names  and  had  grown  to  be  an  important 
factor  in  denominational  activities.  In  1891  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper, 
corresponding  secretary  of  the  Convention,  calls  attention  to  it  in 
the  report  of  the  Mission  Board  as  follows: 

Young  People's  Societies 

It  is  a  fact  of  great  significance  to  us  in  our  mission  work  that  the 
past  year  has  witnessed  a  remarkable  growth  in  the  organization  of  young 
people's  societies  in  the  churches. 

We  feel  that  encouragement  should  be  given  to  the  organization 
of  these  societies,  under  denominational  direction,  and  that  the  work 
of  home  missions  should  be  kept  prominently  before  them.  We  would 
recommend  that  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  of  this  Convention  be 
solicited  to  undertake  the  partial  support  of  a  missionary  evangelist  in 
connection  with  the  Board  as  soon  as  it  may  be  found  practical  to 
provide  for  his  salary. 

285 


286      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

The  organization  of  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  had 
been  consumniated  at  Tacoma  this  year,  with  Dea.  E.  C.  King  as 
president.    The  first  annual  meeting  was  held  at  New  Westminster, 

B.  C,  October  15,  1892,  in  connection  with  the  Northwest  Baptist 
Convention,  President  King  presiding.  Thirty-six  delegates  were 
present  from  eleven  unions,  representing  five  hundred  members. 
The  total  enrolment  of  unions  in  the  whole  field  was  given  at  one 
thousand.  Rev.  J.  E.  Coombs,  secretary  of  the  union,  had  visited 
nine  local  unions,  and  reported  that  nearly  $900  had  been  con- 
tributed by  the  unions  for  missionary  work.  That  the  Board  of  the 
Convention  had  voted  to  grant  $800  and  traveling  expenses  toward 
the  support  of  a  young  people's  evangelist,  and  recommended  that 
the  young  people's  union  raise  $400  more,  which  was  adopted, 
and  $200  of  the  amount  was  pledged  at  the  meeting,  the  correspond- 
ing secretary  to  obtain  the  other  $200  by  correspondence  with  the 
local  unions.  Rev.  J.  E.  Coombs  was  finally  chosen  for  evangelist 
after  strong  protest  by  Dea.  J.  R.  Francis  of  LaConner  church, 
where  he  was  pastor.  This  was  a  very  enthusiastic  and  successful 
meeting.  Geo.  O.  Smith,  of  New  Whatcom,  was  chosen  president; 
Mrs.  W.  H.  Spoft'ord,  of  Immanuel  Church,  Victoria,  first  vice- 
president;  A.  L.  Johnson,  of  Vancouver,  Wash.,  treasurer.  The 
Board  of  Managers  consisted  of  A.  Marshall,  Vancouver,  B.  C. ;  Geo, 

C.  Starkweather,  of  Market  Street  Church,  Seattle;  E.  E.  Rosling, 
Tacoma,  and  Rev.  J.  E.  Coombs,  LaConner. 

The  second  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Seattle  with  the  First 
Baptist  Church,  October  14,  1893,  under  the  heading  "  Baptist 
Young  People's  Union  of  the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention,"  W.  O. 
Hardin,  vice-president,  presiding.  There  were  nineteen  unions,  repre- 
sented by  thirty-three  delegates,  present.  This  was  a  most  inter- 
esting meeting.  Special  mention  and  commendation  were  called 
forth  by  two  essays  read  before  the  union:  one  by  Mrs.  E.  R. 
Bailey,  of  LaConner,  on  the  subject,  "  Young  People  and  Soul- 
winning  " ;  and  the  other  by  Miss  Carrie  Kollock,  of  New  Whatcom, 
on  "The  Young  People's  Union  and  the  Regions  Beyond,"  the 
latter  being  requested  for  publication  in  the  Pacific  Baptist.  New 
officers  elected  were  Rev.  J.  E.  Coombs,  president;  F.  H.  Day,  first 
vice-president ;  E.  E.  Rosling,  treasurer.  Rev.  C.  C.  Marston  was  com- 
mended as  district  missionary,  and  the  following  resolution  was 
adopted  and  sent  to  the  Northwest  Convention  Board: 

Resolved,  That  whereas  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Convention  has 
passed  this  resolution,  viz. :  "  That  we  express  our  appreciation  of  our 
district  missionary.  Rev.  C.  C.  Marston,  and  recommend  to  the  Con- 
vention Board  that  he  be  appointed  for  another  year,  and  that  we  pledge 
him  our  hearty  sympathy  and  support " ;  and  whereas  we  have  undertaken 
to  raise  part  of  his  salary,  that  we  call  upon  the  said  Northwest  Con- 
vention Board  to  define  the  relation  of  Brother  Marston  to  the  Young 
People's  Convention,  and  do  ask  the  Board  to  set  apart  a  portion  of  his 
time   for   work   in   the   interest  of  the  young  people's   unions   under   the 


BAPTIST   YOUNG    PEOPLE'S  UNION  287 

direction    of   the    Board    of    Managers   of   the    Baptist    Young    People's 
Union  of  western  Washington  and  British  Columbia." 

W.  O.  Hardin,  Secretary, 

In  1895  Rev,  N.  C.  Griswold,  of  Puyallup,  was  elected  president, 
and  Corwin  S.  Shank,  of  Seattle,  first  vice-president.  The  latter 
gave  an  address  on  "  The  Baptist  Young  People's  Union."  Rev.  C. 
C.  Marston  resigned  at  the  end  of  the  third  quarter.  In  1895 
twenty-six  unions  reported  a  healthful  condition  and  good  work  being 
done  locally,  but  no  general  work  being  attempted.  In  1896  there 
are  reported  thirty-three  unions,  with  nine  hundred  and  fifty-three 
members.  The  Northwest  Convention  arranged  that  one  of  the  an- 
nual vice-presidents  should  be  from  the  young  people's  union.  Doctor 
F.  E.  Wilkins,  of  Chicago,  general  secretary  of  the  "  Baptist  Young 
People's  Union,"  was  present  and  delivered  two  addresses,  one 
on  the  junior  work  and  one  on  the  general  work  of  the  young  people. 
In  1897  there  seemed  to  be  a  waning  of  interest  in  co-operation 
with  the  general  convention  because  sufficient  arrangements  were 
not  made  for  the  young  people's  work  in  the  program  of  the  general 
convention  as  shown  by  the  following  action  taken  by  the  general 
convention.  Pastor  W.  C.  Weir  presented  the  following  resolu- 
tion: 

Resolved,  That  hereafter  the  Program  Committee  be  instructed  to  ap- 
portion one  whole  day,  morning,  afternoon,  and  evening  to  the  con- 
sideration of  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  work. 

After  discussion  by  Brethren  Downey,  Garlick,  Terrell,  Griffin,  Sa- 
win,  Miller,  and  Weir,  Brother  Griffin  offered  an  amendment  instruct- 
ing the  Program  Committee  to  provide  for  two  sessions  of  the  Con- 
vention for  the  consideration  of  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union 
work. 

The  resolution  as  amended  was  adopted. 

Pastor  M.  W.  Miller  addressed  the  Convention  on  "  How  to 
Increase  the  Efficiency  of  the  State  Organization." 

An  address  on  "  How  to  Secure  Greater  Interest  in  Conven- 
tions "  was  delivered  by  E.  E.  Rosling,  in  which  the  history  of 
Baptist  Young  People's  Union  conventions  for  the  preceding  six 
or  seven  years  showed  lack  of  interest  in  conventions  because  suffi- 
cient arrangements  for  a  full  convention  of  the  young  people  were 
not  usually  made;  other  difficulties  were  also  shown,  and  h's  solution 
of  the  problem  was  to  have  a  separate  annual  assembly  or  convention 
each  summer. 

The  following  resolution  was  presented  by  Brother  Sawin : 

In  view  of  the  needs  of  our  young  people's  work ;   therefore. 
Resolved,   That    in    addition    to    the    Baptist    Young    People's    Union 
meeting  with   the   State   Convention,   the   president,   in   consultation   with 
the  Board  of  Managers,  shall  call  a  summer  assembly  at  such  time  and 


288      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

place  as  shall  be  best  suited  to  secure  the  largest  possible  attendance, 
and  to  provide  for  a  program  which  shall  meet  the  imperative  needs  of 
our  work,  and  to  provide  for  such  meetings,  time,  place,  program  to  be 
arranged  for  in  consultation  with  the  Board  of  ISIanagers. 

Bro.  G.  W.  Fowler  moved  to  amend  the  resolution  as  follows: 
"  And  that  said  summer  assembly  be  our  annual  meeting  or  con- 
vention."    Motion  being  put,  it  was  passed  unanimously. 

The  meeting  for  1898  and  1899  developed  nothing  of  special 
interest  so  far  as  data  are  accessible.  The  meeting  of  1899  had  some 
strong  addresses :  by  Rev.  F.  A.  Agar,  on  the  "  Young  People's 
Movement " ;  Rev.  E.  J.  Sawyer,  on  "  Importance  of  Christian  Train- 
ing," emphasizing  the  Christian  study  course;  Rev.  D.  W.  Thurs- 
ton, on  "  Christian  Comity  in  Young  People's  Societies  " ;  and  Rev. 
W.  H.  Gibson,  on  "  Baptist  Views." 

The  record  in  this  history  closes  with  1900,  when  the  statistics 
are  given  and  a  short  session  was  held  at  Everett  in  connection  with 
the  Convention  in  October,  1900.  At  this  time  there  were  twenty- 
five  unions  in  the  Convention.  Plans  were  maturing  in  the  North- 
western Association  for  a  summer  assembly  at  Chatauqua,  which 
was  to  be  held  August  9-19.  Rev.  Louis  S.  Bowerman,  of  Seattle 
First  Church,  was  the  president,  and  Dr.  W.  L.  Moon,  of  Tacoma, 
secretary.  It  is  anticipated  that  a  new  and  permanent  interest  will 
be  given  to  the  young  people's  work  under  this  new  departure,  and 
that  this  summer  assembly  will  become  a  permanent  institution  for 
twentieth-century  record. 

1877.  The  "Baptist  Beacon"  (1900) 

The  Baptist  Beacon,  now  the  Pacific  Baptist,  comes  in  for  its 
full  share  of  interest  and  importance  in  unifying  and  developing  the 
Baptist  denomination  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  Indeed,  it  has  a 
historical  setting  in  organizing  our  work  that  must  be  recognized 
by  the  historian  or  a  blank  page  will  he  left  in  the  why?  and  when? 
and  how?  of  the  great  progress  our  history  records.  Its  origin  was 
unique,  its  appearance  without  a  herald,  and  its  welcome  heart)^ 
enthusiastic. 

In  the  summer  of  1877  the  initial  steps  were  taken  looking 
toward  permanent  organized  work  among  the  Baptists  of  the  North 
Pacific  Coast. 

A  constitution  was  formed  and  put  into  the  hands  of  a  committee 
to  print  and  circulate,  calling  for  a  meeting  in  October,  to  be  held  at 
McMinnville,  Ore.,  for  the  purpose  of  adopting  the  constitution  and 
inaugurating  thei  work.  Rev.  T.  C.  Baker,  then  in  charge  of  the 
work  of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  was  chairman  of 
the  committee,  and  drew  up  the  constitution.  Returning  to  his  head- 
quarters in  San  Francisco,  the  matter  of  printing  and  circulating  the 
constitution  was  left  in   charge  of  an  appointee  by  the  committee. 


BAPTIST   YOUNG    PEOPLE'S  UNION  289 

Upon  arrival  in  Salem,  Ore.,  in  September,  where  he  had  been 
called  to  the  pastorate,  Mr.  Baker  found  to  his  astonishment  that  the 
constitution  had  not  been  circulated  nor  the  meeting  called.  Upon 
referring  the  matter  to  the  committee,  and  urging  still  that  the 
meeting  be  called,  he  was  asked  to  send  out  a  statement  if  he  still 
thought  a  gathering  could  be  obtained.  Submitting  the  matter  as  a 
subject  of  prayer  in  his  family  prayer  meeting,  the  Lord  impressed  it 
as  a  duty  that  he  should  undertake  the  task. 

In  his  study,  circular  after  circular  went  into  the  waste  basket 
with  the  remark,  "  That  will  never  wake  up  these  people."  The  consti- 
tution copied  shared  a  like  fate.  No  denominational  paper  was  at  hand, 
and  "  what  should  be  done  ? "  After  a  prayerful  night  the  answer 
came,  "  Make  a  paper  all  their  own ;  they  will  read  that  and  respond." 
Rising  from  family  worship  he  went  to  his  study  and  wrote  without 
a  halt  the  first  editorial  column  of  the  Baptist  Beacon,  filled  the 
columns,  had  a  thousand  copies  printed,  mailed  it  to  every  Baptist 
church,  minister,  or  family  on  the  North  Coast  whose  address  he 
could  obtain.  The  people  read  it,  and  reread  it  (they  said)  ;  it  was 
all  their  own.  It  "  woke  them  up,"  but  entailed  upon  the  author  and 
his  family  a  gratuitous  love  service  for  our  Lord  Jesus  and  our  own 
dear  people  in  editing  and  mailing  for  nearly  five  years.  Such  was 
the  birth  of  the  Baptist  Beacon. 

Such  was  the  interest  awakened  by  the  first  issue  of  the  Beacon, 
and  its  evident  success  in  bringing  together  a  representative  body 
at  McMinnville,  that  the  Society  ordered  its  continuance  as  the 
organ  of  the  Convention  under  supervision  of  its  Board  of  Missions, 
and  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker  was  appointed  editor  and  manager.  During 
the  period  of  his  editorial  management  he  was  either  president 
of  the  Board  and  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Society,  or  held  the 
oflSce  of  Superintendent  of  Missions,  giving  him  an  opportunity  to 
use  the  paper  up  to  its  full  value,  which  he  did  to  promote  missions, 
both  home  and  foreign,  educational,  and  Sunday-school  work  on  the 
whole  field.  Later  he  inaugurated  the  policy  of  having  a  page  in 
each  issue  given  exclusively  to  foreign  missions,  another  to  educa- 
tion, another  to  Sunday-schools,  each  under  a  competent  editor, 
while  he  filled  up  the  sheet  with  the  details  of  work  and  workers  on 
the  field,  and  such  other  news  items  of  denominational  interest  as 
to  keep  the  whole  work  of  the  society  in  its  detail  before  the  people. 
It  was  a  four-page,  twelve-column  paper,  issued  monthly,  at  fifty 
cents  a  year;  the  first  year  shows  thirteen  thousand  copies  mailed, 
all  expenses  paid,  and  the  editor  had  seventy-nine  cents  left  to  divide 
with  his  wife  and  children,  who  had  done  the  registering,  folding,  and 
mailing.  The  author  is  holding  the  last  copy  of  the  first  issue,  of 
which  he  gives  a  reprint  of  the  articles,  as  he  is  no  longer  able  to 
furnish  them  to  parties  frequently  inquiring  for  a  copy.  The  author 
believes  that,  if  he  were  ever  divinely  led  in  any  enterprise  under- 
taken   for   the   Master,   it   was   in   establishing  the   Baptist   Beacon, 

T 


290       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

which  has  already  showti  itself  a  child  of  destiny  by  becoming  the 
organ  of  one  of  the  largest  and  most  effective  Christian  denomina- 
tions on  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  will  become  on  this  field  what  the 
Standard  is  to  the  Middle  West. 

Rev  C.  H.  Mattoon,  in  his  "  Oregon  Annals,"  Vol.  I,  in  writing 
the  early  history  of  the  Beacon,  says : 

Rev.  J.  C.  Baker  was  chosen  editor.  That  paper  was  a  monthly 
three-column,  four-page  sheet,  about  nine  by  twelve  inches  to  the  page, 
but  it  was  a  most  powerful  stimulant  to  missionary  work.  Brother 
Baker  had  already  issued  one  number,  and  he  was  perhaps  the  best 
man  for  the  position  that  could  have  been  selected  at  that  time,  and  none 
of  his  successors  have  surpassed  him  in  editorial  skill.  He  was  prudent, 
careful,  experienced,  conservative,  and  mild,  with  an  appreciative  sense 
of  the  different  views  of  brethren,  and  was  well  qualified  to  judge  of 
the  field  and  its  surroundings,  and  of  the  best  method  of  supplying  the 
same. 

The  second  year  the  paper  was  enlarged  to  a  five-column, 
four-page  sheet,  nineteen  inches  long,  and  the  price  fixed  at  $i.oo 
per  year  in  advance,  closing  the  year  with  a  small  balance  in  its 
favor  of  seventy  cents.  The  third  year,  1880,  Brother  Baker,  finding 
it  overtaxing  his  strength,  asked  to  be  relieved  from  the  editorial 
management  of  the  paper,  and  Rev.  W.  J.  Crawford  was  appointed 
editor  and  Hon.  T.  P.  Hackleman  business  manager,  and  the  paper 
was  moved  to  Albany,  Ore.,  where  Brother  Crawford  was  pastor 
and  Brother  Hackleman  was  practising  attorney.  After  a  year 
and  a  half  of  very  successful  and  satisfactory  editorial  management, 
these  brethren  found  it  necessary  to  relinquish  its  publication,  re- 
porting no  debt  and  a  small  margin  in  their  favor. 

The  following  report  of  the  Board  to  the  Convention  meeting 
at  Eugene,  Ore.,  in  October,  1881,  shows  the  growth  and  condition 
of  the  paper  at  that  date. 

Salem,  Ore.,  October  i,   1881, 

To  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the  North  Pacitic  Coast: 

We  herewith  submit  the  report  of  the  Baptist  Beacon  for  the  year 
ending  October  i,  1881 : 

The  Baptist  Beacon  was  conducted  by  the  same  managers  as  last  year ; 
until  the  April  number  was  issued.  At  the  April  meeting  of  your 
Board  we  were  unexpectedly  called  to  act  upon  the  resignation  of  Rev. 
W.  J.  Crawford  as  editor,  and  T.  P.  Hackleman  as  business  manager. 
At  the  very  earnest  request  of  the  Board.  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  its  former 
editor  and  manager,  was  induced  to  resume  its  publication,  which  he  did 
in  May.  Upon  settlement  with  "  Crawford  and  Hackleman,"  the  paper 
was  found  to  be  in  a  healthy  condition,  having  maintained  and  increased 
its  subscription  list ;  and  its  financial  condition  was  sound,  having 
maintained  its  reputation  for  paying  its  own  way,  any  surplus  after 
doing  this  always  going  to  the  editor  and  manager. 

Since  Brother  Baker  has  resumed  its  publication,  the  form  of  the 
paper  has  been  changed,  and  the  departments  of  Sunday-school,  educa- 


BAPTIST    YOUNG    PEOPLE  S  UNION  29 1 

tional,  and  foreign  mission  work  have  been  placed  respectively  in  charge 
of  Rev.  S.  C.  Price,  D.  C.  Latourette,  and  Rev.  B.  S.  McLafferty.  Each 
of  these  brethren  has  rendered  valuable  assistance  in  its  publication,  and 
we  believe  contributed  not  a  little  to  the  interest  our  people  everywhere 
manifest  in  our  paper. 

The  question  of  the  future  of  the  paper  is  an  important  one.  The 
editor  is  growing  more  and  more  to  believe  that  its  permanency  and 
more  frequent  issue  is  among  the  coming  denominational  necessities  of 
this  great  field.  Whether  the  time  has  arrived  for  action  in  this  direction 
or  not.  is  a  question  we  shall  soon  have  to  consider.  Possibly  some  ac- 
tion looking  in  this  direction  should  be  taken  now.  The  paper,  which  was 
a  necessity  in  our  work  at  the  first,  is  growing  more  so  every  year. 
Our  people  have  taken  it  with  such  unanimity  that  it  may  be  said  all 
are  reading  it.  We  bespeak  for  it  the  continuance  and  increased  patron- 
age of  all  our  people,  and  the  prayerful  consideration  of  the  Convention. 

Brother  Baker  took  up  its  full  publication  again  at  Salem; 
he  changed  it  to  an  eight-page  paper,  tw^elve  by  thirteen  inches,  con- 
tinuing the  price  at  $i.oo  per  year.  He  conducted  this  paper  as  be- 
fore, with  the  help  of  his  family,  until  the  Convention  met  in  Oc- 
tober, 1883,  when  from  sheer  exhaustion  he  found  it  necessary  to  ask 
relief,  which  was  granted,  and  the  paper  removed  to  McMinnville, 
with  Rev.  G.  J.  Burchett  as  editor.  Brother  Baker  had  now  pub- 
lished the  paper  for  four  years  and  a  half,  closing  his  management 
with  $40  due  him  on  advance  payment  of  the  last  issue,  and 
turning  over  to  the  new  management  nearly  $400  in  unpaid  subscrip- 
tions, the  large  per  cent  of  which  he  regarded  as  good  for  face 
value.  The  $40  advanced  was  paid  back  to  him  by  the  new  man- 
agement as  soon  as  collected. 

Brother  Burchett  took  the  paper  under  a  salary  of  $300  a  year, 
guaranteed  by  the  Convention.  In  1884  he  reported  nine  hundred  and 
fifty  subscribers,  the  annual  cost  of  issuing  $618  per  year,  and  amount 
due  him  on  salary  of  $89.  Strong  commendation  of  Brother  Bur- 
chett was  voted  and  recommendations  for  the  continuance  of  the 
Beacon,  the  Convention  guaranteeing  the  payment  of  publication  and 
$300  salary.  Brother  Burchett  gave  efficient  service  for  another  year 
and  reported  the  paper  out  of  debt,  but  that  he  could  carry  it  no 
longer.  After  due  consideration  by  the  Board,  it  recommended  to 
the  Convention  at  its  annual  meeting  at  Portland  in  1885  that  the 
Beacon  with  its  assets,  after  all  liabilities  were  met,  be  turned  over 
to  private  hands,  under  sufficient  guarantee  that  it  should  be  pub- 
lished for  at  least  five  years,  not  less  in  size  or  frequency  of  issue, 
to  be  continued  as  a  Baptist  paper,  and  published  in  the  interest 
of  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  This  recom- 
mendation was  adopted  by  the  Convention,  and  the  management  and 
ownership  accepted  by  Rev.  J.  Q.  A.  Henry,  who  issued  two  numbers 
and  turned  it  over  to  Rev.  S.  P.  Davis,  who  published  it  under  the 
name  of  the  North  Pacific  Baptist  for  the  term  of  three  years.  Mr. 
Davis  enlarged  the  paper  and  increased  its  issue  to  a  weekly. 
Brother  Davis  published  the  paper  for  four  years.    They  were  years 


292       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

of  strenuous  life,  but  the  paper  was  all  the  time  growing,  and  an 
important  denominational  asset.  A  corporation  was  finally  organized, 
which  has  since  owned  and  controlled  the  paper. 

Rev.  S.  P.  Davis  was  succeeded  as  editor  by  Rev.  C.  A.  Wooddy, 
who  is  the  distinguished  editor  at  the  opening  of  the  twentieth 
century.  True  to  the  guarantee  first  given,  it  has  always  continued 
a  stanch  Baptist  paper  and  firm  and  helpful  in  serving  the  interests 
of  all  our  denominational  agencies,  not  only  on  the  North  Coast,  but 
on  the  entire  Pacific  Coast,  in  our  whole  country  and  the  evangel- 
ism of  the  world  under  the  larger  name  of  the  Pacific  Baptist. 
The  Herald  of  Truth,  which  was  so  ably  edited  by  Rev.  G.  S. 
Abbott,  D.  D.,  and  published  in  Oakland,  Cal.,  had  absorbed  the 
Evangel  subscribers,  leaving  a  clear  field  for  the  Herald  of  Truth  in 
California,  the  Evangel  having  been  the  coast  paper  for  three  and  a 
half  years  before.  In  1881,  when  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker  was  editor  of  the 
Beacon,  an  unofficial  effort  was  made  by  the  managers  of  the  Herald 
of  Truth  to  consolidate  the  Beacon  with  that  paper,  to  be  published 
in  a  California  city  representing  the  whole  coast.  The  proposition 
did  'not  meet  with  favor  at  that  time,  and  just  how  the  North 
Pacific  Baptists  succeeded  in  finally  absorbing  the  Herald  of  Truth 
the  author  is  not  apprised,  but  is  safe  in  saying  it  was  the  result  of 
wise  Christian  forecast,  and  possibly  another  evidence  of  the  "  sur- 
vival of  the  fittest."  At  all  events  the  paper  has  had  no  rival  on  the 
coast  since,  though  an  effort  was  made  at  one  time  to  establish 
a  Baptist  paper  in  Seattle. 

Rev.  L.  L.  Wood,  D.  D.,  for  some  years  editor  and  proprietor 
of  the  Montana  Baptist,  published  at  Missoula,  Mont.,  was  induced  to 
move  his  plant  to  Seattle  and  establish  a  Baptist  periodical  for  the 
region  centering  there.  It  created  a  little  ripple  on  the  placid 
waters  of  denominational  life;  but  it  went  down  by  the  elimination  of 
two  sentences  from  a  report  written  by  one  of  its  enthusiastic 
friends,  which  covered  two  solid  pages  of  the  Convention  minutes 
in  a  learned  discussion  of  the  proposition  that  "  every  State  needs  to 
feel  the  spicy  breezes  of  its  own.  local  Christian  paper."  When  the 
two  sentences  had  been  stricken  out  of  the  report  of  the  committee  on 
religious  literature,  it  read: 

We  acknowledge  that  in  the  Pacific  Baptist  we  have  a  most  able 
and  efficient  denominational  organ,  and  urge  the  members  of  our  denom- 
ination to  give  it  their  patronage.  We  recognize  that,  in  the  choice 
of  Rev.  C.  A.  Wooddy  as  editor-in-chief,  a  most  excellent  selection  has 
been   made. 

The  Baptist  Beacon  inspired  the  people  to  come  together  and 
get  busy  on  missions,  and  in  some  measure  pointed  out  the  way. 
We  quote  the  first  page  of  its  first  issue,  as  we  are  holding  the  last 
copy  available,  which  shows  the  spirit  under  which  the  great  work 
of  Baptists  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast  began : 


BAPTIST   YOUNG   PEOPLE  S  UNION  293 

THE  BAPTIST  BEACON 
Salem,  Oregon,  October  i,  1877 

Light? 


Yes,  about  our  State  Meetings,  Missionary,  Educational,  and  Sunday 
School  work.  About  our  pastors  and  churches,  our  people  and  the 
Baptist  cause  generally.  To  all  who  want  light,  and  are  willing  to  give 
light,  is  this  Baptist  Beacon  dedicated  by  its  numerous  editors. 


What  These   Editors   Believe 


In  the  "  One  Lord,  One  Faith,  One  Baptism."  In  the  one  church, 
the  one  communion,  the  oneness  of  disciples  with  their  Lord  and  with 
each  other,  in  all  people,  and  love  them,  but  the  Baptists  in  particular. 
In  Christian  work  and  workers,  and  have  no  love  for  drones ;  in  earning 
a  good  living  and  paying  the  ministers  a  good  salary ;  in  building  good 
houses  of  worship  without  running  in  debt,  and  doing  missionary  work 
without  asking  the  Missionary  Society  to  make  up  large  or  small  ar- 
rearages at  the  annual  meetings ;  in  Sunday-schools  where  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  cliurch  attend,  and  everybody  else,  and  where  the  Word  of 
God  is  Taught.  In  good  music  and  congregational  singing;  in  good 
choirs  to  lead  without  making  a  fuss;  in  every  member  bearing  their 
share  of  the  expense  of  the  church,  and  attending  the  prayer  meeting; 
in  the  disaffected  members  alternating  with  the  pastors,  in  resigning  and 
seeking  a  new  field ;  in  a  word,  in  everything  good  and  scriptural. 


What  These  Editors   Don't   Believe 


They  don't  believe  in  long  sermons  or  long  prayers;  they  don't  be- 
lieve in  telling  everybody  what  they  don't  believe,  and  conclude  the 
article  by  saying  they  don't  believe  in  a  fuss,  a  quarrel,  or  critic — ^therefore 
it  will  be  useless  to  reply  to  this  "  Declaration  of  Belief "  or  find  fault 
with  the  editors  of  the  Baptist  Beacon,  as  the  chances  are  that  this 
edition  will  close  the  volume,  and  they  would  have  no  opportunity  to 
defend  themselves. 


"  The  Baptist  Missionary  and  Educational  Society "  for  Oregon  and 
adjacent  territories  will  hold  its  annual  meeting  with  the  First  Baptist 
Church  at  McMinnville,  October  25,  at  10  a.  m.,  and  holding  over  Sabbath. 
The  meeting  will  be  held  in  the  college  chapel ;  Rev.  A.  S.  Coats,  of 
Portland,  will  preach  the  missionary  sermon ;  Rev.  S.  C.  Price,  of  The 
Dalles,  will  preach  the  educational  sermon,  and  Rev.  J.  T.  Huff,  of 
Oregon  City,  will  preach  the  Sunday-school  sermon.  See  programs  for  all 
the  meetings  in  another  column.  Come  to  the  Meeting.  The  Baptists  of 
McMinnville  say  to  all,  come — and  let  him  that  heareth,  say  come,  and 
let  all  who  can,  come. 


Preparation  for  the  Meeting 


First.  Prayer  for  God's  blessing.  Come  praying.  Second.  Come  de- 
termined to  take  hold  of  the  Baptist  missionary  and  educational  work  with 
your  brethren  and  do  something  worthy  of  our  position  as  a  denomination 


294       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

the  coming  year.  Third.  Make  yourself  a  life  member  or  an  annual  mem- 
ber of  the  society,  or  be  one  of  the  One  Hundred  who  are  going  to  give 
ten  dollars  each  to  make  up  the  first  one  thousand  dollars.  Fourth.  Come 
prepared  to  stay  until  the  work  is  done.  Fifth.  Come  expecting  a  revival 
to  follow,  and  seeking  a  great  blessing  upon  McMinnville  church  and  the 
college. 


Mission  Work  on  the  Coast 


The  Presbyterians  expend  on  an  average,  $25,000  a  year  in  missionary 
work  on  the  coast;  the  Methodists  about  $30,000;  the  Congregationalists, 
about  $15,000. 


Statistics 


According  to  last  year's  reports,  the  Baptists  in  the  United  States 
numbered  22,924  churches,  13,779  ministers,  and  1,932,385  members.  They 
have  9  theological  institutions,  33  colleges  and  universities,  and  42  acade- 
mies, seminaries,  and  institutes.  In  these  schools  there  are  563  instructors, 
8,286  students,  of  whom  1,477  are  studying  for  the  ministry.  They  issue 
30  weeklies,  12  monthlies,  5  semimonthlies,  and  i  quarterly  review. 
They  have  in  North  America,  1,025  associations,  2,011,738  members;  in 
Europe,  59  associations  and  305,344  members ;  in  Asia,  i  association  and 
25,209  members;  in  Africa,  1,987  members;  in  Australasia,  4  associations, 
with  6,906  members.  This  gives  a  total  of  1.089  associations,  with  27,482 
churches,  16,855  ministers,  and  a  membership  of  2,351,184.  In  many 
States  and  countries  the  statistics  are  incomplete,  the  actual  membership 
being  in  excess  of  these  figures.  With  such  a  force  as  this,  how  much 
ought  we  to  do  for  the  salvation  of  the  world.  Is  the  reader  doing  all 
he  can? 

In  1770  we  had  only  77  churches  in  the  United  States,  and  in  1784 
only  35,101  members.  Somebody  has  performed  faithful  labor  to  promote 
this  growth.  These  statistics  belong  to  Baptists  who  are  usually  called 
close  communion,  and  do  not  embrace  the  different  sects  practising  im- 
mersion. 


Notice 

One  hundred  men  and  women  who  will  give  $10  each  to  start  our 
mission  work.    Circulars,  with  plan  of  work,  will  be  sent  to  every  church. 


Eastern    Oregon 


Rev.  W.  H.  Pruitt,  of  Weston,  with  his  wife  and  one  child,  is 
taking  a  two  months'  vacation  for  rest  and  recuperation,  which  he  very 
much  needs.  He  is  visiting  friends  in  western  and  southern  Oregon. 
We  hope  he  will  be  at  the  meeting  at  McMinnville  the  last  week  in 
October.     He  reports  the  cause  prospering  in  eastern  Oregon. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Pruitt  has  settled  down  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  in 
eastern  Oregon.  He  has  three  or  four  appointments,  and  is  reported  as 
doing  well.  He  believes  in  Paul  and  has  followed  his  instructions — i 
Tim.  3 : 2.  And  so  Pilot  Rock  loses  one  of  her  most  efficient  young  ladies 
and  Brother  Pruitt  has  a  true  helpmeet.    We  congratulate  the  happy  pair. 


BAPTIST   YOUNG    PEOPLE'S  UNION  295 

Oregon    City 

Has  sent  one  of  her  young  men,  W.  H.  Latourette,  to  Rochester  Uni- 
versity to  complete  his  preparation  for  the  ministry.  May  the  blessing 
and  spirit  of  the  Master  be  upon  him.  Rev.  J.  T.  Huff,  the  esteemed 
pastor  of  this  church,  has  recently  visited  a  destitute  field  down  the 
Columbia,  with  the  blessing  of  God  following  his  labors,  as  it  is  also  his 
labors  at  Oregon  City. 


The  Puget  Sound  Association 

Held  its  annual  session  at  Victoria  last  month.  Our  cause  in  the 
Territory  is  improving,  and  with  such  men  as  Wirth,  Harper,  Weston, 
Ludlow,  Green,  Wichser,  and  others,  to  plan  and  execute  for  the  Master, 
the  future  must  be  to  the  praise  of  God's  grace.  We  hope  to  see  a 
large  number  over  from  the  Sound  to  attend  the  meeting  at  McMinnville. 


WOMEN'S  FOREIGN  MISSION  SOCIETY 


CHAPTER  I 

BEGINNINGS 
1874-1875 

Organization.  Troublous  period.  Important  factor.  Cultured  leaders.  Officials. 
Early  workers.  Holy  Spirit  leading.  Coincidence  in  prayer.  Mrs.  J.  C.  Baker  sent 
North.  Remarkable  tour.  Mrs.  Conro's  letter.  Rev.  C.  H.  Mattoon's  account 
Ready  helpers.     Associational  interest.       Remarkable   results.      Miss   Minnie   Buzzell. 

The  Women's  Foreign  Mission  Society  of  the  Pacific  Coast, 
organized  in  October,  1874,  was  one  of  the  agencies  that  held  the 
Baptist  denomination  together  in  CaHfornia  during  a  long  and 
troublous  period.  Indeed,  the  author  can  testify  that  from  the  year 
1875,  when  his  personal  knowledge  begins,  the  Women's  Foreign 
Mission  Society  was  an  important  factor  in  all  the  Associations  and 
Conventions  in  the  central  part  of  California,  where  a  large  per 
cent  of  our  membership  and  all  the  strong  churches  were  then 
located,  and  'that  members  of  this  society,  by  their  devotion  and 
Christlike  spirit,  held  in  check  the  spirit  of  discord  that  so  often 
threatened  to  disrupt  all  organized  effort  in  the  denomination.  The 
leaders  in  this  great  work  were  intelligent,  cultured,  devoted  wo- 
men, competent  to  handle  it,  the  peers  of  the  Baptist  women  in 
Chicago  and  Boston  who  were  conducting  the  greater  work.  They 
wisely  foresaw  that  the  Pacific  Coast  was  an  important  base  for  mis- 
sionary operations  in  the  Orient;  and  their  foresight  has  been  amply 
justified  as,  year  by  year,  commerce  and  travel  from  the  Pacific 
Coast  to  the  Orient  have  grown,  until  now  very  many  of  the  mis- 
sionaries embark  from  this  coast. 

Among  the  noble  women  who  gave  time,  talent,  and  money  to 
this  department  of  Christ's  work,  was  Mrs.  Fannie  Conro,  for  years 
corresponding  secretary  of  the  society.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Rev.  Dr.  Cheney,  long  and  favorably  known  and  honored  in  the 
East,  once  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  San  Francisco.  Mrs. 
B.  S.  MacLafferty,  for  years  president  of  the  society,  was  the  wife  of 
Rev.  B.  S.  MacLafferty  who,  in  a  pastorate  of  seven  years,  had  so 
large  a  share  in  building  up  the  First  Church  of  Oakland.  The  first 
vice-president  of  the  society  was  the  cultured  Mrs.  M.  P.  Gates, 
of  San  Diego,  author  and  educator,  wife  of  Rev.  M.  P.  Gates,  pastor 
of  the  church  at  that  place,  who  laid  the  foundation  for  Baptist 
growth  in  that  city.  Mrs.  Foskett,  of  Sacramento,  wife  of  Rev.  H. 
B.  Foskett,  who  had  so  large  a  share  in  the  heart  and  life  and  growth 
296 


BEGINNINGS  297 

of  the  First  Church  there,  was  the  second  vice-president.  Mrs.  M.  E. 
Watson,  of  San  Francisco,  was  treasurer.  Mrs.  J.  C.  Ayers,  Mrs.  I. 
S.  Kalloch,  Mrs.  C.  P.  Heath,  Mrs.  E.  B.  Hulbert,  Mrs.  C.  T.  Garth- 
wait,  Mrs.  A.  R.  Cogswell,  Mrs.  Lucy  Dam,  and  Mrs.  Hilton  were 
serving  on  the  Executive  Board ;  and  among  the  members  were  many 
others  who  were  their  peers  in  interest  and  service. 

To  show  how  evidently  the  Holy  Spirit  was  leading  in  developing 
and  unifying  agencies  to  promote  the  growth  of  Baptist  work  on  the 
Pacific  Coast,  the  following  incident  is  recorded.  In  the  spring  of 
1877  the  Executive  Committee  in  Oakland,  Cal.,  was  devoting  an 
hour  to  prayer  for  the  Holy  Spirit  to  give  directions  how  to  aid  the 
sisters  in  Oregon  and  the  Northwest  in  opening  the  work  there.  At 
the  very  same  hour,  as  was  afterward  learned,  the  sisters  had  met 
by  appointment  in  McMinnville,  Ore.,  over  seven  hundred  miles  away, 
to  pray  the  Lord  to  send  some  one  to  aid  in  starting  the  work  in 
Oregon  and  Washington.  The  sisters  were  Mrs.  Henry  Warren, 
wife  of  Hon.  Henry  Warren,  of  McMinnville,  known  for  his  long 
and  influential  service  as  a  citizen  and  legislator,  and  one  of  the 
leading  spirits  in  the  Baptist  church  in  missionary  and  educational 
work,  and  Mrs.  T.  W.  Boardman  who,  with  her  husband,  was  de- 
voted to  the  whole  work  of  Christ's  kingdom,  and  whose  son,  Harry 
L.  Boardman,  D.  D.,  has  been  a  successful  president  of  McMinnville 
College  and  is  a  growing  man  in  the  denomination.  Doubtless  these 
prayers  ascended  together  and  met  a  hearty  response  from  the  Master, 
for  the  sisters  in  California,  rising  from  their  knees,  with  one  voice, 
said: 

We  must  send  a  messenger  to  Oregon  with  our  Christian  greetings, 
to  aid  the  sisters  in  organizing  mission  circles,  and  to  do  such  other  work 
as  she  may  find  necessary  or  helpful.  We  shall  follow  her  with  our 
prayers  and  pay  her  expenses,  but  who  will  go? 

A  vote  was  taken,  and  by  unanimous  consent  the  choice  fell 
upon  Mrs.  J.  C.  Baker,  who  finally  accepted  the  appointment. 

Mrs.  Baker  made  a  most  remarkable  missionary  tour,  the  most 
far-reaching  in  its  results  of  any  made  by  our  denomination  on  this 
coast  since  the  Home  Mission  Society  sent  Rev.  O.  C.  Wheeler, 
D.  D.,  around  Cape  Horn  to  San  Francisco  in  1849.  The  full  ac- 
count of  her  journey  appears  in  the  body  of  this  work.  Suffice  it  to 
say  here  that  she  was  enthusiastically  received  by  the  women  and 
churches  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  and  that  she  finally  removed 
to  Salem,  Ore.,  and  identified  herself  personally  with  the  first  efforts 
of  the  women  of  Oregon  to  do  organized  work.  That  the  great  heart 
of  the  California  society  followed  these  efiforts  with  interest  is  shown 
by  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Fannie  Conro  to  the  women  of  the  Northwest 
Coast  in  their  first  annual  meeting.    She  says: 

We  all  rejoice  that  you  have  Mrs.  J.  C.  Baker  with  you  to  join  in  the 
labors  with  those  who  are  anxious  to  labor,  and  give  you  the  benefit  of 


298       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

her  experience.  God  grant  that  you  may  not  be  content  with  these 
beginnings,  noble  as  they  are,  and  that  you  may  not  be  satisfied  till  you 
may  claim  every  Baptist  woman  in  Oregon,  British  Columbia,  Idaho,  and 
Washington  as  one  of  you. 

That  the  California  women  did  not  desire  to  control  the  work  of 
the  circles  on  the  Northwest  Coast,  but  simply  to  co-operate  with 
them  in  doing  a  greater  work  among  the  women  in  foreign  coun- 
tries, is  shown  by  a  further  quotation  from  Mrs.  Conro's  letter. 
She  says : 

In  regard  to  the  appropriation  of  funds,  any  circle  may  appropriate 
these  funds  as  it  tliinks  best,  and  the  treasurer  will  gladly  carry  out  its 
instructions.  No  circle  need  send  funds  independently,  fearing  that  they 
will  not  be  forwarded  correctly,  and  we  hope  that  all  money  given  for 
foreign  work  will  pass  through  our  treasury,  designated  to  Mrs.  Ing:als, 
Miss  Field,  or  to  the  India  Famine  Fund,  but  let  the  women's  society 
of  the  Pacific  Coast  be  the  channel  through  which  it  goes  that  we  may 
have  it  to  report  at  the  close  of  the  year. 

The  spirit  which  prevailed  among  the  sisters  on  the  Northwest 
Coast  in  that  early  and  formative  period  is  shown  in  a  quotation 
from  a  letter  to  the  circles  by  Mrs.  J.  T.  Huff: 

Sisters,  we  are  engaged  in  a  glorious  work  for  the  Master.  Let  us 
be  faithful,  and  greatly  in  earnest,  for  since  the  advent  of  our  blessed 
Lord  into  this  sinful  world,  women  have  never  before  been  permitted 
to  take  up  and  carry  forward  such  a  mighty  work,  gaining  such  great 
victories  for  the  cause  of  Christ  as  we  now  are  doing.  Let  us  look  to 
God  with  greater  faith. 

Rev.  C.  H.  Mattoon,  in  his  "  Baptist  Annals  of  Oregon,"  p.  368, 
says : 

Thus,  in  answer  to  praj'er,  the  work  was  begun.  Mrs.  Baker  sailed 
the  next  day  after  these  memorable  prayer  services,  empty-handed,  but 
trusting  in  the  Master,  whom  she  served  to  care  for  his  own.  She  found 
in  Oregon  ready  helpers  in  Mrs.  M.  Bailey,  Mrs.  Hufif,  Mrs.  Chandler, 
Mrs.  Boardman,  Mrs.  Warren,  and  other  women  whose  sympathies  and 
prayers  were  already  enlisted  in  the  work.  From  one  gathering  to 
another  she  went,  even  where  the  anti-mission  spirit  was  very  strong, 
presenting  clearly  and  forcibly  the  great  need  of  that  work.  The  meetings 
were  full  of  interest,  and  resulted  in  the  formation  of  several  circles. 

The  Willamette  Association  voiced  the  interest  felt  in  this  move- 
ment by  the  churches  in  Washington  Territory  as  well  as  in  Oregon, 
by  the  following  resolution  adopted  at  its  annual  meeting: 

Resolved,  That  Mrs.  J.  C.  Baker,  the  representative  of  the  Women's 
Baptist  Missionary  Society  for  the  Pacific  Coast,  is  cordially  welcomed  in 
our  midst,  and  it  is  our  hope  that  the  Baptist  women  of  Oregon  will 
respond  heartily  to  the  work  which  she  represents  and  identify  them- 
selves with  the  Baptist  women  of  America  in  the  great  work  of  foreign 
missions.     (Minutes,  1877.) 


BEGINNINGS  299 

The  Central  Association  was  infused  as  never  before  with  -the 
missionary  spirit.  By  a  large  vote  the  Association  accepted  Mrs. 
Baker  as  the  representative  of  the  CaHfornia  society,  and  asked  her 
to  address  the  Association.  At  the  close  of  her  address  it  was  voted 
to  take  up  a  collection  for  the  work  of  the  society,  which  amounted 
to  $21.25.  In  the  course  of  her  journey  she  organized  mission 
circles  at  Oregon  City,  Salem,  Albany,  Eugene,  Amity,  and  Mc- 
Minnville,  in  the  Willamette  Valley;  and  called  together  and  ad- 
dressed the  Portland  circle,  stimulating  new  and  permanent  zeal  in 
the  work.  East  of  the  mountains  she  organized  circles  at  The 
Dalles,  Pendleton,  and  Pilot  Rock.  On  Puget  Sound  she  reorgan- 
ized the  circle  at  Seattle,  and  organized  a  new  circle  at  Victoria, 
B.  C.  Olympia  had  an  active  circle  under  the  leadership  of  Mrs. 
Roger  S.  Greene,  and  Portland  one  under  that  of  Mrs.  D.  J.  Pierce, 
both  circles  being  supported  by  intelligent  and  consecrated  workers. 

Remarkable  results  in  developing  the  missionary  spirit  on  the 
Northwest  Pacific  Coast  were  quickly  reached.  Within  thirty  days 
a  large  number  of  the  most  influential  and  consecrated  women  of  the 
churches  were  united  in  purpose  and  in  prayer,  in  faith  and  in 
service,  in  offerings  and  in  consecration  to  the  great  and  important 
work  of  lifting  up  the  women  of  heathen  lands,  the  mothers  of  un- 
numbered children,  out  of  the  degradation  of  serving  the  passions 
and  the  cupidity  of  men,  into  the  light,  intelligence,  and  liberty  or- 
dained by  God  as  the  heritage  of  womanhood.  The  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  was  upon  these  women.  He  had  anointed  them  to  send  the 
gospel  to  their  heathen  sisters.  The  vision  of  the  prophet  had 
fallen  upon  them,  and  they  could  apply  to  themselves  the  words: 
"  Arise,  shine :  for  thy  light  is  come,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  is 
risen  upon  thee." 

A  Pentecostal  shower  had  fallen  upon  the  churches.  They  were 
in  the  'midst  of  a  great  missionary  revival  before  they  knew  it. 
Weak  faith,  coldness  of  heart,  selfishness,  discouragement,  schism, 
discord,  jealousy,  were  fleeing  away.  Many  were  astonished  to  see 
such  transformations  as  occurred  within  two  years.  The  spiritual 
vision  was  enlarged,  and  the  eyes  of  faith  saw  a  greater  field  than 
the  North  Pacific  Coast  demanding  their  sympathy,  prayers,  con- 
tributions, and  efforts.  Some  had  thought  the  North  Pacific  Coast  too 
vast  a  field  for  Baptists  to  handle;  but  now,  in  this  enlarged  pente- 
costal  view,  the  field  was  the  world,  the  work  of  the  Lord  was  one 
work,  whether  at  home  or  abroad,  in  State  or  nation,  in  the  home 
or  the  church,  among  the  children  or  the  adults.  Such  results  as 
these  always  follow  an  effort  directed  by  the  Spirit  to  aid  foreign 
missions.  The  work  of  these  noble  women  of  God  in  these  early  days 
was  an  important  factor  in  bringing  together  and  unifying  the  widely 
scattered  Baptist  constituency  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  uniting 
them  in  every  department  of  Christian  endeavor  to  lay  permanent 
foundations  for  the  far  greater  work  of  their  successors.     Neither 


300       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

pride  nor  ambition  was  apparent  to  the  onlooker,  but  the  beautiful, 
loving,  and  self-sacrificing  spirit  of  the  Master  was  everywhere 
evident. 

Later  one  of  the  choicest  missionary  workers  among  women  in  the 
foreign  field,  Miss  Minnie  Buzzell,  was  sent  out  by  these  consecrated 
women.  She  visited  the  Northwest  Coast,  met  these  godly  women, 
caught  their  devoted  enthusiasm,  and  this,  added  to  her  already 
consecrated  spirit,  made  her  work  a  joy  to  China,  and  her  name  a 
household  word  among  our  Baptist  people  on  this  great  home- 
mission  field  of  the  Northwest. 


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CHAPTER  II 

OREGON 
1875-1886 

In  Oregon.  First  society.  Mrs.  D.  J.  Pierce.  Officials.  At  McMinnville.  .\t 
Oregon  City.  Fifty  members  present.  Mrs.  Fannie  Conro's  letter.  Resolutions  by 
Association.  States  Society  organized  at  Amity.  Interesting  incident.  In  1881  with- 
draw from  Pacific  Coast  Society.  In  1882  union  with  Boston.  Mission  field  of 
Swatow,  China.  Missionary  appointed.  Refuse  to  unite  with  Chicago  Society.  Mrs. 
Henry  Warren.     Eastern  Oregon  and  Washington.      Affiliating.      Healthful    conditions. 

In  Mattoon's  Oregon  "  Annals,"  Vol.  I,  p.  367,  we  find  the  fol- 
lowing statements  in  regard  to  the  origin  of  the  women's  work  in 
Oregon : 

The  Women's  Foreign  Mission  Society  for  the  Pacific  Coast  was 
organized  in  1874  with  headquarters  in  San  Francisco,  Cal.  In  1875 
Mrs.  D.  J.  Pierce,  whose  husband  was  then  the  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  in  Portland,  Ore.,  interested  herself  in  the  work  of  the 
Pacific  Coast  Society,  and  a  temporary  society  was  organized  in  Oregon 
(doubtless  auxiliary  to  the  Pacific  Coast  Society — Ed.)  with  the  following 
officers:  Mrs.  D.  J.  Pierce,  president;  Mrs.  Mark  Bailey,  secretary;  Mrs. 
N.  E.  Mitchell,  of  Portland;  Mrs.  A.  W.  Kinney,  of  Salem;  Mrs.  A.  N. 
Brayton,  of  Oregon  City;  Mrs.  E.  Russ,  of  McMinnville;  and  Mrs.  Ezra 
Fisher,  of  Albany,  consented  to  interest  themselves  in  the  matter.  Only 
one  circle  was  formed,  that  in  Portland. 

On  October  26,  1877,  a  meeting  in  the  interest  of  the  Women's 
Missionary  Society  of  the  Pacific  Coast  was  held  in  McMinnville,  at 
which  Mrs.  J.  T.  Huff,  of  Oregon  City;  Mrs.  A.  S.  Coates,  of  Port- 
land; Mrs.  Laughary,  of  Amity;  Mrs.  Henry  Warren,  and  Mrs.  T. 
W.  Boardman,  of  McMinnville;  Mrs.  S.  C.  Price,  of  The  Dalles;  Miss 
Lizzie  Baker,  of  Salem,  and  others  took  part.  This  introduced  the 
women's  work  into  the  first  meeting  of  the  Missionary  and  Educa- 
tional Society,  in  connection  with  which  it  ever  after  held  a  prom- 
inent and  inspiring  position. 

When  the  second  annual  meeting  of  the  Missionary  and  Educa- 
tional Society  was  held  at  Oregon  City,  in  1878,  the  women's  society 
conducted  one  of  the  most  enthusiastic  and  most  deeply  interesting 
sessions  of  the  Convention,  with  fifty  members  present.  Mrs.  J.  C. 
Baker  presided,  and  Mrs.  F.  O.  McCown  welcomed  the  sisters  on 
behalf  of  the  entertaining  circle  of  Oregon  City.  Mrs.  Baker  had 
recently  visited  San  Francisco,  where  she  communicated  with  the 
officials  of  the  Pacific  Coast  Society,  and  she  reported  that  the  general 
society  would  indorse  all  our  work  as  an  independent  State  organiza- 
tion if  we  would  send  our  collections  through  this  general  organi- 
zation. A  communication  from  Mrs.  Fannie  Conro,  secretary  of  the 
Pacific  Coast  Society,  was  read,  urgently  appealing  to  the  sisters  of 

301 


302       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Oregon  to  remain  auxiliary  to  that  society  in  the  fear  that  a  separation 
would  greatly  retard  the  progress  of  the  cause  of  missions  on  the 
entire  coast.  A  motion  finally  prevailed,  "  That  the  Women's  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  of  Oregon  would  co-operate  with  the  Pacific 
Coast  Society  for  the  coming  year  upon  condition  that  the  latter 
society  publish  all  collections  forwarded  from  the  North  Pacific 
Coast  in  the  Helping  Hand." 

At  this  meeting  of  the  Missionary  and  Educational  Society  the 
minutes  show  that  the  following  preamble  and  resolutions  were 
adopted : 

Whereas,  Preaching  the  gospel  to  every  creature  is  preeminently 
the  work  which  Christ  has  committed  to  his  people, 

Resolved,  That  we  are  in  hearty  sympathy  with  every  efifort  to  carry 
the  gospel  to  those  in  darkness. 

Resolved,  That  we  regard  with  greatest  favor  the  labor  which  the 
Christian  women  of  our  land,  and  especially  those  of  our  own  denomination 
on  the  territory  of  this  Convention,  are  doing  in  this  direction,  and  that 
we  will  give  them  every  encouragement  and  assistance  in  our  power  to 
establish  and  extend  their  work. 

We  quote  from  the  Baptist  Beacon  for  August,  1879,  its  account 
of  the  organization,  at  Amity,  Ore.,  of  the  Women's  Baptist  Foreign 
Missionary  Society  for  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  the  last  of  June, 
1879: 

During  the  session  of  the  Willamette  Association,  lately  convened  at 
Amity,  a  meeting  was  called  by  the  secretary  of  the  Women's  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  to  adopt  a  constitution  for  our  State  work.  The 
committee,  consisting  of  Mrs.  J.  C.  Baker  and  Mrs.  A.  W.  Kinney,  pre- 
sented a  constitution  for  consideration  by  the  sisters  under  the  following- 
name  and  object: 

Article  I.  This  society  shall  be  called  the  Women's  Baptist  Mission- 
ary Society  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast. 

Article  11.  The  leading  object  of  this  society  shall  be  the  Christian- 
ization  of  women  in  heathen  lands. 

A   full   constitution   follows. 

After  due  consideration  the  constitution  was  unanimously 
adopted,  and  the  following  officers  were  elected:  Mrs.  L.  L.  Bailey, 
president;  Mrs.  J.  C.  Baker,  vice-president;  Mrs.  Henry  Warren, 
secretary;  Mrs.  A.  W.  Kinney,  treasurer. 

The  first  annual  meeting  was  held  in  Portland,  November  5, 
1879.  Methods  of  work  were  then  adopted,  which  resulted  in  more 
efficient  and  satisfactory  service. 

The  Women's  Baptist  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  Oregon 
held  its  second  annual  meeting  at  Salem,  October  30,  1880,  with  Mrs. 
L.  L.  Bailey  in  the  chair.  This  was  a  meeting  of  good  interest  and 
hopeful  outlook.  An  interesting  incident  of  the  meeting  was  the 
presentation  of  a  quilt  by  Mrs.  Ezra  Fisher,  pieced  by  her  own  hands 


OREGON  303 

at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years.  The  quilt  was  sold  for  $11,  and 
then  given  back  to  be  quilted  by  the  Salem  circle  and  sent  back  to 
the  society  at  its  next  meeting.  The  sisters  had  a  good  meeting, 
and  voted  to  continue  their  relations  with  the  Pacific  Coast  Society. 

The  third  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Eugene,  October  27,  1881. 
At  this  meeting  the  society  voted  to  withdraw  from  the  Pacific 
Coast  Society,  and  appointed  a  committee  to  confer  with  the  Mis- 
sionary Union  (now  American  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society), 
with  a  view  to  recognition  as  an  independent  society. 

The  fourth  annual  meeting  was  held  at  McMinnville,  October  27, 

1882.  Twelve  circles  and  two  mission  bands  were  represented.  A 
circle  at  Colfax,  Wash.,  reported  to  the  society.  About  fifty  ladies 
were  present  at  this  meeting,  sixteen  of  whom  were  messengers. 
The  society  had  consummated  a  union  with  the  general  society  at 
Boston. 

The  fifth  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Brownsville,  October  25, 

1883.  Forty  ladies  were  present,  and  sixteen  of  them  were  mes- 
sengers. The  society  has  grown  and  increased  in  effectiveness. 
Miss  Field,  of  Swatow,  China,  had  visited  the  North  Pacific  Coast, 
and  created  much  enthusiasm.  She  wished  to  have  a  lady  ac- 
company her  on  her  return  to  China.  She  had  met  Miss  L.  L. 
West,  so  long  at  the  head  of  our  academy  at  Colfax,  and  had 
asked  her  to  go,  but  Miss  West  wrote  to  the  sisters  at  this  meeting, 
deciding  not  to  go.  Miss  Minnie  A.  Buzzell,  of  Nebraska,  was 
finally  chosen  and  sent  out  by  the  Missionary  Union  (now  American 
Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society),  to  be  supported  by  the  society. 

The  sixth  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Springfield,  November  i, 

1884.  The  Women's  Foreign  Mission  Society  of  the  West  was  in 
correspondence  with  the  secretary,  asking  the  Oregon  society  to 
unite  with  the  society  of  the  West.  The  matter  had  been  referred  to 
Doctor  Murdock,  secretary  of  the  Missionary  Union  (now  American 
Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society),  who  replied:  "If  the  union  can  be 
consummated,  I  think  it  would  be  a  good  thing."  The  vote,  how- 
ever, was  against  it.    The  work  had  spread  well-nigh  over  the  State. 

The  annual  meeting  was  held  in  Portland  in  October,  1885. 
On  account  of  the  illness  of  her  husband,  Mrs.  Henry  Warren,  who 
had  been  so  long  the  efficient  secretary,  was  obliged  to  resign,  and 
Mrs.  S.  C.  Roberts  was  chosen  in  her  place.  In  Mrs.  Warren's 
report  at  this  meeting  she  speaks  of  a  steady  increase  of  interest. 
Several  new  workers  had  been  developed  among  the  young  women. 
Baby  bands  were  being  organized,  as  well  as  children's  bands.  Mrs. 
S.  A.  Farnham,  a  cultured  and  devoted  Christian,  had  taken  up  the 
work  in  the  extreme  southern  part  of  the  State.  The  society  was  still 
supporting  Miss  Buzzell,  and  some  eastern  Washington  circles  were 
affiliating  with  it. 

The  annual  meeting  was  held  October  21,  1886.  at  Salem.  Every 
church   in   the   Willamette   Association    had   a   circle.     ]\Irs.   H.   W. 


304       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Estes  was  looking  after  the  work  of  the  Grand  Ronde  Association  in 
eastern  Oregon,  and  Mrs.  J.  M.  Walker  was  attending  to  that  of  the 
Mount  Pleasant  Association,  which  had  some  churches  in  Oregon, 
but  most  of  them  in  eastern  Washington.  The  society  was  for  the 
most  part  in  a  healthful  condition,  and  had  collected  up  to  this 
date  for  their  work  $4,604.87. 


CHAPTER  III 

EASTERN  WASHINGTON  AND  NORTHERN  IDAHO 
1883-1885 

Leaving  Oregon.  Obstacles.  Purpose  of  first  circles.  Second  obstacle.  A  third 
obstacle.  Meeting  at  Spokane.  Organized  Washington  Society.  Constitution.  Reso- 
lutions.     Territorial  branch   organized.      Constitution.     Auxiliary   to. 

We  have  attempted  to  follow  the  women's  mission  work  in 
Oregon  only  far  enough  to  connect  it  with  their  work  in  Wash- 
ington. The  Oregon  work  is  elaborately  and  carefully  written  up 
by  Rev.  C.  H.  Mattoon,  and  published  in  his  "  Baptist  Annals  of 
Oregon,"  Vol.  I,  pp.  367-378,  a  record  of  most  intense  interest. 

The  women  of  those  days  had  obstacles  to  overcome  that 
would  tax  the  ability  and  try  the  faith  of  the  most  courageous  and 
consecrated.  In  the  first  place  there  was  a  feeling  widely  prevalent 
in  the  denomination  of  the  unwisdom  of  separating  the  Women's 
Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society  from  the  American  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Union  (now  American  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society)  by 
organizing  the  women's  circles  into  general  societies  to  carry  for- 
ward a  specific  work  among  the  women  in  heathen  lands.  The 
circles  were  organized,  at  first,  to  raise  "  one  extra  dollar  each " 
from  the  women  who  composed  the  circles  to  aid  the  Missionary 
Union  in  its  work  among  heathen  women.  This  separation  of  the 
women's  work  was  especially  a  problem  in  Oregon,  where  but 
recently  the  largest  Association  would  not  allow  women  to  represent 
a  church  as  delegates  to  the  Association. 

Another  obstacle  was  the  inaccessibility  of  the  women,  scattered 
over  so  vast  a  territory,  sparsely  settled,  where  the  methods  of 
transportation  were  meager  and  expensive.  The  women  of  Oregon 
had  the  advantage  over  the  women  of  Washington  and  Idaho,  the 
population  being  denser  and  the  churches  nearer  each  other,  but  to 
come  together  from  all  over  Oregon,  Washington,  Idaho,  and 
British  Columbia,  distance  and  expense  were  nearly  prohibitory. 

Another  obstacle,  which  had  its  origin  in  the  Puget  Sound 
district,  was  unwillingness  to  work,  either  in  union  with  the  Oregon 
society,  or  as  auxiliary  to  it.  The  women's  work  had  been  started 
early  in  Olympia  and  Seattle,  and  the  sisters  had,  by  correspondence 
at  least,  an  auxiliary  connection  with  the  Pacific  Coast  Society;  but 
now  they  wanted  a  State  society  connected  with  the  women's  general 
society,  so  that  there  was  very  little  affiliation  between  the  circles 
in  western  Washington  and  the  circles  in  Oregon,  though  an  effort 
was  made  to  have  the  women's  work  under  one  administration  cover- 
ing the  same  territory  as  the  Convention.    In  the  district  east  of  the 

u  305 


306       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

mountains  there  was  a  general  disposition  to  co-operate,  which  was 
clone  mostly  by  correspondence,  however,  on  account  of  the  natural 
barriers  and  the  difficulties  of  transportation.  This  state  of  things 
naturally  culminated  in  the  organization  of  a  Women's  Foreign 
Mission  Society  for  Washington  Territory. 

We  quote  from  the  Baptist  Beacon,  under  the  head  of : 

Women's  Work 

A  meeting  of  representative  Baptist  ladies  of  Washington  Territory 
was  held  at  Spokane  Falls,  July  7,  1883,  to  consider  the  propriety  of 
organizing  a  Women's  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society  for  Washington 
Territory.  Mrs.  V.  Williams  was  elected  temporary  president,  and  Miss  L. 
L.  West,  secretary.  Inasmuch  as  circles  had  not  been  properly  notified, 
owing  to  lack  of  time,  it  was  decided  that  the  different  Associations 
would  be  represented  as  follows  in  our  meeting:  The  Puget  Sound  Asso- 
ciation, by  Mrs.  G.  W.  Greene  and  Mrs.  W.  A.  Pierce;  the  Palouse  As- 
sociation, by  Mrs.  L.  J.  Beaven  and  Mrs.  Stella  W.  Traver ;  the  Mount 
Pleasant  Association  by  Miss  Leoti  L.  West.  The  following  constitution 
was  read  and  adopted : 

Constitution 

Article  I.  This  organization  shall  be  called  the  Women's  Baptist 
Foreign  Mission   Society  of  Washington  Territory. 

Article  II.  The  object  of  this  society  shall  be  the  spread  of  the  gospel 
among  our  heathen  sisters. 

Section  i.  The  officers  of  this  society  shall  constitute  an  Executive 
Committee,  who  shall  have  general  charge  of  all  State  work. 

Article  VI.  Section  i.  Every  circle  in  Washington  Territory  shall 
be  entitled  to  representation  at  all  annual  meetings  by  two  delegates,  and 
one  for  each  additional  ten  members  after  the  first  ten. 

Section  2.  In  case  any  circle  cannot  be  represented  by  delegates, 
said  circle  may  send  a  letter  to  represent  it  at  annual  meetings,  and  said 
circle  may  vote  for  all  officers  by  proxy. 

Article  VIII.  Section  i.  Until  such  time  as  a  Pacific  Coast  Society 
can  be  harmoniously  organized  by  representatives  from  Pacific  States  and 
Territories,  this  society  shall  send  all  moneys  collected  through  its 
treasurer,  and  shall  report  wherever  the  Executive  Committee  shall 
direct,  after  consultation  with  the  circles. 

In  accordance  with  the  above  constitution,  the  following  officers  were 
elected :  President,  Mrs.  Grace  W.  Greene,  Seattle ;  vice-presidents,  Mrs. 
W.  A.  Pierce,  Seattle;  Mrs.  L.  J.  Beaven,  Moscow;  Mrs.  A.  B.  Banks, 
Walla  W^alla ;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  Stella  W.  Traver,  Spokane  Falls ; 
corresponding  secretary  and  treasurer.  Miss  L.  L.  West,  Walla  Walla. 

The  following  resolutions  were  adopted : 

Resolved,  That  we  appreciate  the  kindly  relations  that  have  existed 
between  the  Oregon  and  California  bodies  and  ourselves,  and  that  we 
wish  them  to  understand  that  the  action  taken  to-day  does  not  in  any  way 
reflect  upon  them,  but  is  simply  because  we  believe  we  can  better  do  the 
Master's   service   by   forming   an   independent   State  society. 

Resolved,  That  we  as  a  body  recommend  reporting,  for  the  present  at 
least,  to  the  society  of  the  West,  with  headquarters  at  Chicago ;  and 
further. 


EASTERN    WASHINGTON    AND    NORTHERN    IDAHO  307 

Resolved,  That  all  action  taken  by  this  body  shall  be  submitted, 
through  our  corresponding  secretary,  to  the  different  circles,  and  that  this 
action  be  null  and  void  unless  approved  by  a  majority  of  said  circles. 

Resolved,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  body  be  sent  with  our 
constitution,  to  the  Baptist  Beacon  for  publication. 

Adjourned.  Miss  Leoti  L.  West, 

July  7,  1883.  Corresponding  Secretary. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Eastern  Washington  Convention,  held  in 
Colfax,  October  9-12,  1884,  the  ladies  held  a  meeting  presided  over 
by  Mrs.  E.  T.  Trimble,  in  which  it  was  voted  to  organize  a  territorial 
branch  of  the  Women's  Baptist  Home  and  Foreign  Mission  Societies, 
and  the  organization  was  perfected  by  the  election  of  the  following 
officers:  President,  Mrs.  E.  T.  Trimble;  vice-president.  Mrs.  L.  J. 
Beaven ;  second  vice-president,  Mrs.  L.  L.  Britt ;  secretary,  Mrs. 
Jennie  W.  Campbell;  assistant  secretary,  Miss  Winnie  Beaven; 
treasurer,  Mrs.  L.  P.  Baker.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  draft  a 
constitution,  which  was  adopted  under  the  title  that  follows  in 

Article  I.  This  organization  shall  be  known  as  the  "  Territorial 
Branch  of  the  Women's  Baptist  Home  and  Foreign  Mission  Societies  of 
Eastern  Washington  and  Northern  Idaho." 

Article  II.  Its  object  shall  be  to  cultivate  a  missionary  spirit 
and  to  aid  in  the  Women's  Baptist  Home  and  Foreign  Mission  Societies 
in  Christianizing  neglected  homes  in  our  own  and  foreign  lands. 

Article  VII.  Any  woman  may  become  a  member  of  this  society  by 
the  payment  of  $1.50  per  year,  all  membership  dues  to  be  divided  equally 
between  the  two  societies. 

This  society,  which  was  made  auxiliary  to  the  Women's  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society  and  the  Women's  Baptist  Foreign  Mission 
Society,  superseded  on  this  field  the  Women's  Foreign  Mission  So- 
ciety of  Washington  Territory,  organized  the  previous  year  at 
Spokane.  After  dividing  the  territory  into  three  districts  under 
competent  leaders,  the  society  adjourned  to  meet  at  Walla  Walla  in 
October,  1885. 

The  work  of  this  society  will  be  taken  up  and  followed  by 
Rev.  Joseph  Beaven  and  Rev.  A,  M.  Allyn,  who  are  preparing  a 
history  of  the  Baptist  Convention  of  Eastern  Washington  and  North- 
ern Idaho;  and  we  shall  now  leave  to  them  the  history  of  the 
women's  work  on  that  field,  to  confine  ourselves  to  western  Wash- 
ington and  British  Columbia. 


CHAPTER  IV 

WESTERN   WASHINGTON    AND    BRITISH    COLUMBIA 

I 872- I 897 

First  circle  in  Washington.  Moving  spirits.  Eastern  society.  Western  society. 
Olyrapia  Church.  How  circle  grew.  Pacific  Coast  Society.  A  characteristic.  Its 
mission  spirit.  First  circle  on  coast.  Auxiliary.  Obstacles.  District  organizations. 
Co-operation.  Elma  Society.  Seattle  Society.  Special  work.  True  yokefellows.  Dis- 
couragements. A  welcome  messenger.  Reorganized.  New  circles.  Important  factor. 
Intelligent  helpers.  Minnie  Buzzell.  First  annual  meeting.  Training-school  helpers. 
New  workers.     New  society.     Meeting  in  British  Columbia.     Forward  movement. 

The  first  women's  foreign  mission  circle  in  Washington  was 
organized  at  Olympia  in  1872.  Mrs.  J.  A.  Casto,  the  wife  of  the 
pastor,  was  president,  and  Mrs.  R.  S.  Greene,  the  wife  of  Judge 
Greene,  was  secretary.    These  two  were  the  moving  spirits. 

In  the  early  part  of  this  same  year  the  Eastern  Women's 
Foreign  Mission  Society  had  been  formed,  with  its  headquarters  at 
Boston,  and  the  Western  Women's  Society,  with  its  headquarters  at 
Chicago.  The  Olympia  church  was  not  self-sustaining,  had  no 
house  of  worship,  and  but  few  members,  with  only  five  of  them 
female ;  and  yet  it  was  the  desire  from  the  beginning  that  the  church 
should  embrace  in  its  activities  every  gospel  means  of  usefulness.  A 
women's  weekly  prayer  meeting  was  established;  in  this  meeting 
missions  and  mission  circles  were  a  frequent  subject  of  prayer  and 
conversation;  and  out  of  this  prayer  meeting  grew  the  pioneer 
women's  foreign  mission  circle  of  the  Pacific  Coast.  This  circle 
became  tributary  to  the  Women's  Foreign  Mission  Society  of  the 
West  until  1875,  when  it  became  auxiliary  to  the  Pacific  Coast  So- 
ciety, with  headquarters  at  San  Francisco.  One  characteristic  of  the 
Olympia  circle  for  years  was  that  all  the  sisters  of  the  church,  the 
little  girls  from  their  families,  as  well  as  sisters  from  neighboring 
churches  and  from  Oregon,  became  members.  There  were  twenty- 
seven  members  in  that  circle. 

It  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that  this  circle,  from  the  beginning 
of  its  history,  was  active  in  creating  a  sentiment  favorable  to  organ- 
ized women's  work  for  heathen  women.  After  every  sister  in  the 
church  had  been  brought  into  the  circle,  it  was  enlarged  by  taking  in 
sisters  from  other  churches,  who  were  kept  in  touch  with  the  work 
of  the  circle  by  correspondence  when  too  far  away  to  attend  its 
meetings.  The  sisters  organized  their  children  into  mission  bands, 
and  they  held  meetings  to  pray  for  the  spread  of  the  work  through 
all  the  churches.  They  talked  and  prayed  over  it  at  the  associ- 
ational  meetings,  and  so  became  an  important  factor  in  developing  the 
foreign  missionary  spirit  which  soon  took  such  fast  hold  upon  the 
308 


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WESTERN    WASHINGTON    AND    BRITISH    COLUMBIA        3O9 

churches  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association  that  it  grew  with  their 
growth,  and  was  strengthened  with  their  strength. 

It  is  claimed  that  the  Olympia  circle  was  the  first  circle  organized 
on  the  Pacific  Coast.  Its  organization  was  two  years  earlier  than 
that  of  the  Pacific  Coast  Society  in  California,  and  was  really  the 
beginning  of  the  work,  being  three  years  before  Mrs.  Pierce  started 
the  first  circle  in  Portland.  For  some  time  too,  the  Olympia  circle 
was  the  most  vigorous  on  the  coast,  and  stood  foremost,  both  in 
local  interest  and  in  the  amount  of  funds  that  were  contributed  to 
the  work. 

When  later  the  North  Pacific  Coast  Society  was  formed,  the 
Olympia  circle,  like  most  of  the  circles  on  the  field  covered  by  the 
Northwest  Baptist  Convention,  entered  into  co-operation  with  that 
society;  but  the  sisters  found  in  their  work  certain  sectional  ob- 
stacles difficult  to  surmount,  much  the  same  as  were  found  in  the 
more  general  work  of  the  Convention.  There  were  natural  barriers 
which,  while  not  prohibitive  of  co-operation,  rendered  advisable  the 
division  of  the  field  into  districts,  each  having  entire  control  of  its 
own  work.  The  distances  are  so  vast  in  this  western  country  that  it 
was  difficult  for  the  delegates  to  find  sufficient  time  and  money  to 
attend  the  general  meetings  necessary  to  keep  the  work  of  all  the 
circles  in  touch  and  in  harmony.  Hence  they  drifted  naturally  into 
organizations  for  each  district;  but  all  finally  co-operated  by  be- 
coming auxiliary  to  the  Women's  Home  Mission  Society,  and  the 
Women's  Foreign  Mission  Society  of  the  West,  giving  to  each 
society  half  of  their  time  and  half  of  their  contributions,  thus  com- 
bining the  home  and  the  foreign  work  in  each  circle. 

In  1873  Rev.  J.  A.  Casto  organized  a  circle  at  Elma,  but  it  con- 
tinued only  a  short  time  and  then  became  extinct. 

In  1874  a  Women's  Missionary  Society  was  organized  at  Seattle 
in  connection  with  the  First  Baptist  Church.  Mrs.  J.  Lacy  was 
president,  and  Mrs.  A.  J.  Hanford  was  secretary.  This  circle  was 
efficient  for  a  time,  doing  much  helpful  work  in  the  church  and  the 
Association. 

In  1883  the  Olympia  circle  took  up  some  special  work  in  Swatow, 
China,  at  the  suggestion  of  Miss  A.  M.  Field,  medical  missionary 
there.  This  was  the  building  of  a  missionary  boat  and  chapel.  The 
boat  was  named  The  Grace,  in  honor  of  Mrs.  Grace  W.  Greene,  who 
was  one  of  its  principal  promoters.  For  a  time  it  was  supported  by 
the  Tabernacle  Church  of  Seattle,  of  which  Mrs.  Greene  had  become 
a  member. 

Connected  with  the  Olympia  circle  too  was  the  organization  of 
the  "  True  Yokefellows  "  on  this  Convention  field.  They  were  ap- 
parently adjuncts  to  the  women's  circles.  Each  society  was  composed 
of  but  two  members,  a  president  and  a  secretary,  "  who  shall 
specially  consecrate  themselves  to  any  Christian  service  within  the 
legitimate  sphere  of  woman's  work  for  Jesus."    They  were  to  secure 


310       BAPTIST    IIISTORV    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Others  to  join  them  as  "  associate  helpers  "  to  perform  service  under 
direction  of  the  society,  the  business  of  which  is  to  watch  for 
opportunities  for  service,  and  to  bring  them  to  the  notice  of  the 
church  when  necessary,  reporting  to  the  Association  for  the  sake  of 
mutual  encouragement  to  all.  The  service  of  these  "  True  Yokefel- 
lows "  was  helpful,  but  they  were  not  often  organized  in  the  churches, 
though  repeatedly  recommended  by  the  Association. 

This  early  stage  of  the  women's  work  suffered,  like  all  the  other 
work  of  our  churches,  because  of  the  failure  of  efforts  to  cover 
the  field  with  a  general  Convention.  Each  of  these  failures,  as  will 
be  seen  under  the  head  of  organized  work,  had  left  a  feeling  of  dis- 
couragement so  widespread  that  every  part  of  the  great  field,  and 
almost  every  church,  felt  its  effects  and  shared  the  feeling.  This 
discouragement,  the  unsettled  state  of  the  population,  the  inability  of 
the  churches  to  support  pastors,  the  constantly  increasing  demands 
upon  the  churches  to  carry  forward  the  general  missionary  work,  all 
had  their  influence  in  retarding  this  practically  new  missionary  move- 
ment among  the  women  of  our  churches.  It  is  not  strange  that  some 
of  the  women's  circles  should  suft'er  loss  and  even  extinction  under 
such  a  tension. 

These  were  some  of  the  conditions  when,  in  1877.  the  Pacific 
Coast  Society  sent  a  representative  to  the  Northwest  Coast  in  the 
person  of  Mrs.  J.  C.  Baker  to  revive  interest  where  the  work  had 
been  begun,  and  to  start  new  work  where  needed.  She  visited  all 
the  Associations  in  this  region,  and  was  enthusiastically  received. 
Her  efforts  were  heartily  seconded  by  the  sisters  at  all  places  visited, 
and  the  work  took  on  new  and  permanent  life.  The  only  circle  that 
she  found  in  active  operation  in  the  Puget  Sound  region  was  the 
Olympia  circle,  and  it  was  much  reduced  in  membership.  She  re- 
organized the  Seattle  circle,  organized  a  circle  in  Victoria,  and 
awakened  general  interest  wherever  she  came  in  contact  with  the 
sisters. 

From  this  time  on  there  was  a  steady  growth  until  the  women's 
work  became  an  important  factor  in  the  meetings,  both  of  the 
Associations  and  of  the  Conventions.  Indeed,  it  was  often  in  the 
meetings  set  apart  for  the  women  and  imder  their  direction  that  the 
missionary  interest  and  enthusiasm  reached  the  highest  pitch.  The 
women's  work  kept  pace  with  the  rapid  growth  of  the  denomination 
on  this  new  field,  developing  many  consecrated  and  intelligent 
workers  in  all  departments  of  missionary  and  church  work.  We  may 
name  a  few  among  those  who  were  active  before  and  up  to  1900 : 
]\Irs.  Grace  W.  Greene,  Mrs.  A.  J.  Hanford.  Mrs.  J.  A.  Casto.  Mrs. 
T.  P.  Ludlow,  Mrs.  Stella  W.  Traver,  Mrs.  S.  W.  Beaven,  Mrs. 
Tames  Caches,  Mrs.  W.  B.  Johns,  Mrs.  F.  L.  Bailey,  Mrs.  E.  T. 
Trimble. 

The  women  aided  the  Oregon  sisters  in  supporting  on  the  foreign 
field  at   Swatow,   China,  as  their  missionary.  Miss  Minnie   Buzzell, 


WESTERN    WASHINGTON    AND    BRITISH    COLUMBIA        3II 

who  was  highly  esteemed  and  greatly  beloved  by  all  our  churches  on- 
the  North  Coast.  She  was  gladly  welcomed  in  the  churches,  Associ- 
ations, and  Conventions,  whenever  and  wherever  she  chose  to  visit 
them.  Her  presence  was  always  an  inspiration  and  a  joy,  and  her 
addresses  were  full  of  needed  information  concerning  the  practical 
and  experimental  work  on  the  foreign  field ;  and  she  was  always 
heard  with  profit,  whether  in  the  ladies'  meetings  or  in  the  open 
Convention. 

Rev.  C.  H.  Mattoon,  in  his  "  Baptist  Annals  of  Washington " 
(unprinted),  gives  the  following  account  of  the  first  general  gathering 
of  the  circles  in  Washington : 

The  first  annual  meeting  of  which  there  is  any  record  was  held  at 
Seattle,  September  8,  1878,  Mrs.  Grace  W.  Greene  presiding.  Three 
circles  reported  and  a  Ladies'  Aid  Society  that  had  been  organized  at 
Victoria,  B.  C. 

The  question  whether  the  circles  should  stand  connected  with  the 
Women's  Baptist  Mission  Society  of  the  West,  at  Chicago,  or  with  the 
Pacific  Coast  Society,  at  Oakland,  Cal.,  was  left  for  each  society  to 
decide  for  itself.  A  circular  had  been  sent  out  urging  various  forms  of 
activity,  viz.,  foreign  and  home  missions,  Bible  reading  with  the  sick 
or  ignorant,  Bible  distribution,  tract  distribution,  prison,  hospital,  and 
family  visitation,  Dorcas  work,  teaching  Chinese,  Indians,  and  street 
waifs,  reclaiming  fallen  women,  correspondence  to  win  souls,  soliciting 
contributions,  and  suggesting  that  these  activities  be  exercised  under  a 
society  in  each  church  to  be  called  "The  Yokefellows'  League"  (Phil. 
4:3),  and  exhorting  any  two  or  more  sisters,  who  are  willing  to  unite 
promptly  to  carry  out  the  spirit  of  this  circular. 

Mrs.  Greene  gave  an  interesting  address  on  "  The  Claims  of  Mission 
Work  Upon  Women." 

The  Olympia  church  claims  the  first  Children's  Mission  Band 
organized  on  the  Pacific  Coast.  We  quote  again  from  Mattoon's 
"  Annals  " : 

In  1876  Mrs.  Stella  W.  Traver  organized  "The  Day-star  Band"  at 
Olympia,  with  twelve  members.  At  the  close  of  the  year  it  had  twenty- 
nine  members ;  and  in  the  first  three  years  it  sent  five  contributions  to  the 
foreign  field.  One  little  girl  gave  fifty  cents  each  month,  which  she  earned 
by  darning  stockings.  .  .  In  May,  1877,  Mrs.  A.  J.  Hanford  had  a  band  of 
girls  in  her  own  house  in  Seattle  working  for  missions.  It  raised  $35. 
of  which  $10  was  given  to  foreign  missions.  .  .  It  afterward  took  the 
name  of  "  The  Pleasant  Workers,"  later  of  "  The  Day-star  Band,"  and 
still  later  of  "The  Ann  H.  Judson  Band." 

Here  we  have  the  beginnings  of  the  children's  mission  work  on 
this  Convention  field.  As  a  means  of  creating  interest  in  foreign 
missions,  and  especially  in  the  women  and  girls  in  heathen  lands,  it 
had  its  place  in  the  women's  annual  meetings,  both  in  Associations 
and  Conventions,  from  this  time  on.  In  most  of  these  annual  gather- 
ings the  women's  circles  and  children's  bands  were  both  commended 
and  recommended. 


312       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

In  the  women's  work  in  the  Northwest  there  was  a  disposition 
among  some  of  the  workers  to  maintain  a  State  or  territorial  organ- 
ization; but  it  was  soon  found  that  it  was  impracticable  to  do  so, 
and  each  district  undertook  the  handling  of  its  own  work.  It  was 
also  found  impracticable  to  maintain  two  circles  in  each  church,  one 
for  foreign  and  one  for  home  missions.  In  most  of  the  churches 
there  were  not  sisters  enough  to  keep  up  two  societies  successfully. 
On  this  account  it  was  thought  wise  to  combine  the  two  circles  in 
one  and  to  divide  the  time  and  study  and  contributions  equally  be- 
tween the  two  societies.  Most  of  the  circles  were  pleased  with  this 
arrangement,  and  this  combined  work  was  carried  on  in  western 
Washington  and  British  Columbia  during  the  remaining  period  cov- 
ered by  this  history. 

In  their  report  to  the  Puget  Sound  Association  in  1878,  the 
representatives  of  the  women's  work  says :  "  We  are  deeply  moved  at 
the  magnitude  of  the  opportunities,  the  varieties  of  the  open  doors, 
and  the  signal  approval  of  our  Lord  in  the  blessings  upon  the 
labors  of  Christian  women  everywhere  during  the  past  year."  The 
report  which  was  adopted  by  the  Association  that  year  urges  every 
church  to  organize  a  "  True  Yokefellows'  Society "  in  connection 
with  the  women's  work. 

The  work  is  reported  very  hopeful  in  1882.  New  circles  had 
been  organized,  and  some  which  had  ceased  to  be  active  reorganized. 
The  territorial  secretary,  Mrs.  Grace  W.  Greene,  reported :  "  The 
work  is  still  in  its  infancy,  though  we  are  making  progress  on  each 
side  and  are  now  better  equipped  than  ever  before."  The  annual 
meeting  of  1882  was  held  with  the  Puget  Sound  Association,  and 
revealed  increasing  interest  among  the  churches  in  women's  work. 

From  this  time  on  new  workers  were  coming  to  the  front  almost 
every  year,  not  to  the  exclusion  of  the  earlier  and  more  experienced 
workers,  but  new  helpers  infused  with  younger  life,  preparing  to 
take  the  places  of  the  earlier  workers  as  they  left  the  field,  or  from 
other  causes  dropped  out  of  the  leadership  in  the  work.  Repre- 
sentatives of  the  societies  with  which  the  circles  were  co-operating 
now  appeared  more  frequently.  Miss  Emma  L.  Miller,  of  the  Chi- 
cago Training  School,  and  representing  the  Women's  Baptist 
Foreign  Mission  Society  of  the  West,  appears  as  early  as  1889. 

Up  to  this  year  the  women's  work  had  been  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Puget  Sound  Association ;  but  now  the  Association  was  di- 
vided, and  we  have  three  general  organizations  of  the  churches  in 
the  State,  namely,  the  Puget  Sound  Association,  the  Northwestern 
Association,  and  the  Northwest  Convention.  The  general  work  of 
the  women's  circles  was  hereafter  connected  with  the  Convention. 
In  the  Convention  of  1889  both  Miss  Miller  and  Miss  Minnie  Buzzell, 
the  returned  missionaries  from  China,  delivered  addresses.  Mrs. 
James  Caches  and  Mrs.  S.  W.  Beaven  reported  for  the  two  Asso- 
ciations.   In  1891  Mrs.  James  Sunderland,  representing  the  Women's 


WESTERN    WASHINGTON    AND    BRITISH    COLUMBIA 


0'6 


Foreign  Mission  Society,  and  Miss  Mathilde  Malmberg,  representing' 
the  Women's  Home  Mission  Society,  were  present.  We  give  a 
synopsis  of  the  meeting,  which  shows  many  new  and  efficient 
workers: 

CoxvENTioN    Minutes,    1891 

women's  meeting 

A  devotional  meeting  was  held  at  10.30  a.  m.,  led  by  Mrs.  E.  T. 
Trimble.  At  its  close  Mrs.  J.  Sunderland,  vice-president  of  the  Woman's 
Society  for  Washington,  called  the  meeting  to  order  for  business.  Mrs.  J. 
Sunderland  was  elected  president  and  Mrs.  I.  W.  Read  secretary.  After  a 
few  words  of  greeting  the  reports  of  associational  secretaries  were  called 
for.  Mrs.  Ward,  secretary  for  Northwestern  Association  for  Foreign 
Missions,  gave  her  report.  Mrs.  Coe,  secretary  for  Home  Union  work  for 
the  same  Association,  spoke  chiefly  of  the  city  union  of  Seattle.  Mrs.  E.  T. 
Trimble  and  Mrs.  Bates  spoke  for  the  Puget  Sound  Association  work 
with  reference  to  both  home  and  foreign  work.  A  question  box  was 
next  opened,  in  which  questions  were  asked  and  answered  in  a  profitable 
manner.  Miss  Fors,  general  missionary  for  the  Woman's  Home  Mission 
Society  for  Oregon,  was  called  and  responded  in  a  few  well-chosen  words. 

afternoon 

Met  at  2  p.  m.  The  address  of  welcome  was  given  by  Mrs.  Bates,  of 
Tacoma,  to  which  Mrs.  C.  E.  C.  Brown,  of  New  Westminster,  responded. 
Greetings  were  next  received  from  the  associational  society  presidents, 
on  the  part  of  Puget  Sound  by  Mrs.  Trimble,  and  the  Northwestern  by 
Mrs.  J.  H.  Scott.  A  devotional  meeting  of  great  interest  was  conducted 
by  Miss  Emma  Miller.  A  paper  upon  work  among  the  children  was  read 
by  Mrs.  Dr.  Coe;  a  very  interesting  discussion  of  the  subject.  Miss 
Leota  Proper  recited  in  an  impressive  manner,  "Was  it  a  Little?"  Miss 
Emma  Miller  gave  a  very  excellent  address  upon  "  Woman's  Work." 
Mrs.  J.  A.  Scott  next  gave  an  interesting  map  exercise.  Mrs.  S.  W. 
Beaven  read  a  social  paper  upon  "  Wonderful  Answers  to  Prayers  in 
Modern  Missions."  The  enrolment  showed  seventy-two  women  and  four- 
teen men  present. 

evening 

After  the  reading  of  the  Scripture  and  prayer  and  singing,  led  by 
Geo.  Robert  Cairns,  Miss  Carrie  Kalloch,  of  Sehome,  read  a  paper  full  of 
interest  upon  "How  Can  We  Interest  Our  Young  People  in  Missions?'' 
At  the  close  of  its  reading  another  paper  was  read  by  Mrs.  Dr.  Brooks,  of 
LaCamas,  upon  "  What  Young  People  Have  Accomplished  for  Missions." 
Miss  Malmberg,  in  her  own  tender,  touching  way,  told  the  story  of  her 
life  and  the  wonderful  way  in  which  God  had  helped  her.  Mrs.  A.  J. 
Lester  gave  a  beautiful  recitation.  Solos  of  great  sweetness  were  rendered 
by  Mrs.  G.  E.  M.  Pratt  and  Geo.  Robert  Cairns.  After  a  collection  the 
meeting  adjourned  after  three  very  profitable  sessions. 

Mrs.  J.  Sunderland,  President. 
Mrs.   L   W.   Read,  Secretary. 

This  same  year,  1891,  in  June,  at  the  meeting  of  the  Puget 
Sound  Association,  held  in  Olympia,  the  women  organized  the 
"  Missionary  Society  of  the  Puget  Sound  Baptist  Association,"  with 
the  following  officers:  Mrs.  E.  T.  Trimble,  president;  Mrs.  C.  B.  La 


314       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Motte,  secretary.    A  constitution  was  adopted  expressing  the  purpose 
of  the  society  in  Article  II : 

The  object  of  this  society  shall  be  to  aid  the  Women's  Baptist 
Foreign  Mission  Society  of  the  West  and  the  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society  of  the 'West  in  the  work  presented  by  their  respective  consti- 
tutions : 

Mrs.  F.  M.  Bates,  secretary  for  the  Women's  Home  Mission 
Society,  reported  for  that  society,  and  Mrs.  S.  W.  Beaven,  secretary 
for  the  Foreign  Mission  Society,  reported  in  its  behalf.  These  re- 
ports showed  a  total  raised  in  the  Convention  for  the  associational 
year  of  $115.65  for  various  departments  of  women's  home  mission 
.  work,  and  $277.86  for  the  foreign  mission  work. 

This  society  performed  efficient  service  in  the  Puget  Sound  As- 
sociation, but  we  follow  the  more  general  record  of  the  women's  work 
as  connected  with  the  Convention. 

The  meeting  held  at  New  Westminster,  B.  C,  in  1892,  was 
memorable  in  that  it  marked  the  transfer  of  Miss  Emma  L.  Miller 
to  another  field,  greatly  to  the  regret  of  the  circles.  Resolutions 
expressing  high  appreciation  of  her  valuable  work  were  passed.  She 
was  succeeded  by  Miss  Fannie  Allen,  who  soon  won  the  hearts  and 
confidence  of  the  sisters,  and  of  the  whole  Convention,  indeed,  as  had 
her  predecessor.  Miss  Allen  was  afterward  prominent  for  many 
years  in  the  women's  work  in  eastern  Washington.  A  noteworthy 
feature  in  the  meeting  was  the  presence  of  Mrs.  J.  A.  Freiday,  a 
returned  missionary  from  Burma,  and  of  Mrs.  J.  H.  Scott,  from 
Okasaka,  Japan,  whose  husband  was  converted  and  baptized  under 
the  ministry  of  the  author.  Another  noteworthy  feature  was  the 
coming  to  the  front  of  the  Baptist  ladies  of  British  Columbia.  The 
ladies  of  the  Province  had,  indeed,  heretofore  held  a  conspicuous 
place  in  the  work  of  the  Northwest  Convention,  and  were  always 
greeted  with  much  pleasure;  but  now,  in  the  unavoidable  absence  of 
western  Washington  sisters,  the  Provmce  revealed  so  many  earnest 
and  intelligent  workers  that  not  a  doubt  remained  as  to  their  ability 
to  carry  forward  the  women's  work  with  eminent  success  whenever 
the  churches  of  the  Province  should  organize  a  Convention  of  their 
own. 

In  1894  Miss  Mary  G.  Burdett,  superintendent  of  the  Chicago 
Training  School,  had  given  great  impetus  to  the  women's  work 
during  a  visit  to  the  field.  There  were  now  forty  circles  in  the 
Convention  field.  They  had  raised  for  women's  general  home  mission 
work,  $201.05;  ^or  Scandinavian  work  on  the  Convention  field, 
$391;  for  industrial  schools,  in  supplies,  $52.05;  and  for  the  support 
of  Miss  W^illiams  in  the  training  school  for  the  last  two  years. 
$201.90,  making  a  total  of  $846.  Miss  Walters,  State  secretary  of  the 
Junior  Home  Mission  Society,  came  into  prominence  this  year.  A 
proposition    was   made   through    Doctor    Sunderland,    and    favorably 


WESTERN    WASHINGTON    AND    BRITISH    COLUMBIA        315 

considered,  that  the  women's  societies  should  take  under  their  care 
the  Home  for  Missionaries'  Children  at  Burton,  Wash. 

Among  the  distinguished  men  present  at  this  meeting  were  Dr. 
H.  L.  Morehouse,  secretary  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society;  Dr.  H.  C.  Woods,  Superintendent  of  Missions  for  the 
Pacific  Coast;  Dr.  R.  D.  Grant,  of  Portland;  and  Rev.  T.  J.  Harper, 
the  oldest  Baptist  pioneer  minister  on  the  coast,  and  the  first  to  settle 
and  to  found  a  church  in  Washington  Territory;  and  all  of  them 
spoke  words  of  cheer  for  the  women's  work. 

In  1895  a  forward  movement  was  made,  looking  to  closer 
relations  with  the  Convention.  "  It  was  voted  that  our  president- 
elect shall  preside  at  the  Convention  as  president  of  both  the  home  and 
foreign  work."  Mrs.  Spofford,  of  Victoria,  was  unanimously  elected. 
This  officer  was  also  to  assist  the  vice-president  of  the  Women's  Home 
Mission  Society  and  the  secretary  of  the  Women's  Foreign  Mission 
Society  in  preparing  the  program  for  the  women's  meeting  at  the 
next  session  of  the  Convention. 

In  1896  Mrs.  McEwen,  of  Victoria,  presented  the  work  among 
the  Indians  of  the  Northwest.  She  told  of  a  visit  from  Indians  who 
came  five  hundred  miles  to  ask  that  the  Baptists  of  this  Convention 
establish  a  mission  among  them  on  the  Naas  River.  A  committee  was 
appointed  to  confer  with  the  Convention  Board  with  reference  to 
opening  such  a  mission.  A  full  and  complete  report  of  the  women's 
work  was  made  by  Mrs.  Marion  Walker,  of  Tacoma,  State  secre- 
tary for  foreign  missions.  Thirty-five  circles  had  reported,  five  of 
which  were  Scandinavian :  $550  had  been  raised  for  foreign  missions. 
There  were  fifteen  mission  bands  and  junior  unions,  with  a  member- 
ship of  three  hundred  and  ten.  Mrs.  S.  W.  Beaven  reported  that 
there  had  been  raised  on  the  Convention  field,  by  the  twenty-seven 
circles  reporting.  $411.50  for  State  work,  $100  for  the  general  work, 
and  $45  for  the  training  school. 

In  1897  it  was  voted  to  join  the  eastern  Washington  circles  in 
the  support  of  Miss  M.  Mercy  Larsh.  of  Henzada,  Burma,  the 
women  of  this  Convention  to  raise  $300. 


CHAPTER  V 

DIVISION 
1898 

Convention  divided.  British  Columbia  work.  Junior  unions.  New  features. 
New  workers.  Secretary's  report.  Historical  statement.  Relations  existing  in  1900. 
Official  calendar.  A  work  of  faith.  Women's  missions  in  Scandinavian  Conference. 
Organization  perfected.     Reports. 

In  1898  there  had  been  a  division  of  the  Northwest  Convention, 
since  the  churches  of  British  Columbia  withdrew  for  the  purpose  of 
organizing  a  Baptist  Convention  in  the  Province.  This  divided  the 
constituency  of  the  women's  societies,  as  it  did  that  of  all  depart- 
ments of  Convention  work;  and  all  departments  were,  to  a  greater  or 
less  extent,  the  losers  by  this  withdrawal.  The  necessity  of  it  was, 
however,  recognized  by  all,  and  it  was  consummated  with  the  same 
devoted  and  brotherly  interest  and  harmony  which  had  so  long 
characterized  the  brethren  of  the  Convention  in  their  united  work. 
At  this  time  all  the  mission  bands,  except  two,  had  been  merged  into 
junior  unions.  One  of  the  two  exceptions  was  at  LaConner  and  the 
other  at  Burton.  The  women's  work,  as  a  whole,  was  in  a  healthful 
state,  and  new  workers  were  being  constantly  added  to  the  list. 

In  1899  some  new  features  appear,  and  new  workers  come  to  the 
front.  Among  the  new  features  we  note  mission  studies,  and  the 
references  to  the  women's  circles  of  needed  amounts  to  be  raised 
under  church  plans  for  systematic  benevolence.  We  quote  from  the 
report  of  the  secretary  for  this  year: 

woman's  home  and  foreign  missions 

The  session  was  conducted  by  Mrs.  S.  W.  Beaven  and  Miss  Carrie 
Kalloch,  the  presiding  officers.  The  program  embraced  a  secretary's 
report  by  Mrs.  M.  C.  Cole ;  a  carefully  prepared  paper  on  "  The  Im- 
portance of  Missionary  Studies,"  by  Miss  Smith ;  an  account  of  Miss 
Larsh,  her  field  and  work,  by  Mrs.  Bailey ;  and  an  address  by  Miss 
Mathilde  Malmberg,  who  always  interests  and  amuses  her  audiences. 
The  speaker  was  accorded  a  hearty  greeting  upon  her  return  to  the 
Convention  field  after  an  absence  of  two  years  in  North  Dakota.  The 
account  given  of  her  experiences  while  away  was  pathetic,  and  revealed 
the  self-sacrifice  and  loyalty  of  our  Swedish  people. 

At  a  called  meeting  of  the  Women's  Societies  the  following  resolu- 
tions were  adopted : 

"Resolved,  That  the  amount  per  member  necessary  to  carry  on  our 
women's  work,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  be  sent  to  the  president  of  each 
local  circle,  and  if  the  church  is  not  willing  to  assume  this  amount  along 
the  line  of  the  systematic  beneficence  plan,  that  the  ladies  proceed  to 
raise  the  funds  as  done  heretofore." 

316 


Mrs.  E.  R.  Bailey 


DIVISION  317 

Motion  carried  that  in  addition  to  the  $300  for  Miss  Larsh's  salary, 
and  the  $250  for  Women's  Home  Mission  Society,  we  raise  $45  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  home  for  Missionaries'  Children  at  Burton. 

We  leave  the  women's  work  in  western  Washington  in  1900, 
at  which  date  our  history  closes.  To  give  a  correct  historical  state- 
ment of  the  relation  existing  at  this  time  between  the  women's 
societies,  home  and  foreign,  and  between  these  societies  and  the 
general  Convention,  we  quote  the  following  from  the  Convention 
minutes  of  1900: 

At  2.30  p.  m.  the  meeting^  was  given  over  to  the  women's  societies. 
Mrs.  Kopf,  of  Portland,  led  in  a  helpful  devotional  service,  speaking 
briefly  on  the  largeness  of  this  work. 

The  report  of  the  Women's  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  was 
presented  by  Mrs.  S.  W.  Beaven,  after  which  Mrs.  Kopf  came  forward  and 
brought  the  greetings  of  the  Baptist  sisters  of  Oregon. 

Mrs.  C.  S.  Shank  read  an  interesting  paper  on  Porto  Rico,  and  Miss 
Mathilda  Malmberg  gave  an  entertaining  address  on  "  Woman's  Work." 

Mrs.  Munns  read  an  interesting  report  prepared  by  Mrs.  Bailey, 
associational  secretary  of  the  Woman's  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society, 
after  which  Mrs.  Alverson,  of  LaConner,  read  an  instructive  paper  on 
"  The  Uttermost  Parts  of  the  Earth,"  and  Mrs.  George  Campbell  spoke  on 
"  Missions,"  her  own  experience  on  the  foreign  field  adding  power  to  the 
address. 

In  the  official  calendar  of  the  Convention  for  this  year  we 
find:  Mrs.  S.  W.  Beaven,  of  Burton,  honorary  vice-president,  repre- 
senting the  Women's  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  with  Miss 
Annie  Beaven  as  her  assistant;  Mrs.  F.  M.  Williams,  of  Seattle, 
honorary  vice-president,  representing  the  Women's  Foreign  Mis- 
sion Society;  Mrs.  F.  L.  Bailey,  secretary  of  the  Foreign  Mission 
Society  in  the  Northwestern  Association;  Mrs.  C.  T.  Spencer,  secre- 
tary of  the  Foreign  Mission  Society  in  the  Puget  Sound  Association ; 
Miss  Hilda  Magnuson,  missionary  among  the  Swedes  in  Seattle ; 
Miss  Mathilde  Malmberg,  missionary  among  the  Swedes  in  Tacoma ; 
Miss  Margeson,  representing  the  foreign  work. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  these  devoted  women  have  reached 
the  position  which  they  now  occupy,  and  the  success  which  has 
crowned  their  efforts,  without  a  struggle,  or  without  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus,  whose  they  are  and  whom  they  serve.  They  have  often  needed 
to  quote  the  Apostle  Paul  to  the  brethren :  "  Help  these  women."  It 
has  taken  many  years,  and  will  perhaps  take  many  years  more  to 
convince  all  of  the  great  Baptist  brotherhood  that  it  was  wise  to 
segregate  the  women's  work  from  the  men's  work;  and  these  women 
had  this  difficulty  to  meet  in  the  early  years  covering  the  formative 
period  of  their  separate  activities.  Despite  all  the  perplexities  and 
deprivations  incident  to  a  new  country,  despite  the  mountains  and 
other  natural  barriers  separating  the  circles  from  one  another,  de- 
spite pecuniary   and   domestic  difficulties  too   numerous  to   mention, 


3l8       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

these  women  have  shown  their  faith  in  God,  their  behef  that  he  had 
called  them  to  this  work,  and  their  confidence  in  their  own  ability 
under  the  Spirit's  direction  to  carry  it  forward  successfully.  We 
give  to  them,  and  to  the  greater  societies  they  represent,  all  honor 
and  praise ;  and  we  pray  that  their  work  for  the  Master,  wrought  in 
the  close  of  the  nineteenth  century,  may  be  but  the  alphabet  of  what 
shall  grow  into  a  world  language  of  "  glad  tidings  of  great  joy, 
w'hich  shall  be  to  all  people "  in  the  twentieth  century,  hastening 
the  glorious  second  coming  of  our  Lord. 

These  far  Western  sisters  were  the  peers  of  their  Eastern  sisters  in 
faith  and  consecration,  in  ability  and  culture,  in  firmness  of  purpose 
and  in  loyalty  to  the  Great  Commission.  The  word  of  God  was  their 
creed ;  the  Holy  Spirit  their  guide ;  the  world  their  sphere  of  activity ; 
and  the  promises  of  God  their  assets.  How  could  they  fail,  even 
under  great  discouragements?  The  author  has  many  times  wit- 
nessed, in  many  places  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  especially  in  Wash- 
ington and  British  Columbia,  the  almost  insurmountable  obstacles  to 
be  overcome  by  these  women  of  God.  He  has  seen  them  weary,  worn, 
and  heartsick,  leaving  a  session  of  the  Convention  or  some  annual 
gathering,  saying:  "Brother  Baker,  it  is  all  right.  The  Lord  is  our 
helper,  and  he  will  bring  it  to  pass.  His  promises  never  fail."  They 
have  taken  their  case  to  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard;  and,  when  they 
returned  to  the  next  session  or  gathering,  they  came  with  cheerful 
countenances  and  songs  of  joy :  "  The  Lord  has  heard  our  prayer, 
the  clouds  have  flown  away,  the  light  has  come,  and  we  are  going 
to  succeed."  They  had  been  sustained  by  this  promise  from  Isaiah 
41 : 9, 10,  which  they  often  quoted :  "  Thou  art  my  servant,  I  have 
chosen  thee  and  not  cast  thee  away;  fear  thou  not,  for  I  am  with 
thee ;  be  not  dismayed,  for  I  am  thy  God :  I  will  strengthen  thee ;  yea, 
I  will  help  thee;  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the  right  hand  of  my 
righteousness." 


BAPTIST  WORK  AMONG  THE  INDIANS  IN 
WASHINGTON 

In  treating  of  this  work,  we  cannot  do  better  than  to  quote 
from  a  pamphlet  written  by  Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow,  whose  interest  in  the 
work  and  knowledge  of  it  probably  surpass  that  of  any  other  person 
on  the  field : 

THE    FIELD 

I  was  not  seldom  accosted  while  East  with  the  question,  "  Are  the 
Indians  very  wild  in  your  country?"  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  Indians 
of  each  and  all  the  many  tribes  along  our  coast  are  as  domestic,  ac- 
cording to  their  habits  of  life,  and  as  peaceable  and  law-abiding  as  any 
special  class  which  can  be  named  among  us.  In  our  lower  or  higher 
courts,  as  a  criminal  class,  first  the  Indians  and  second  the  Chinese  are 
the  most  noticeable  by  their  absence. 

Intimate  with  the  proceedings  of  our  district  court,  I  remember  now 
but  one  Indian  criminal  case  during  the  past  eight  years  that  has  not 
had  a  white  man  as  its  figurehead. 

The  general  policy  and  practice  of  our  government  in  its  paternal 
role  toward  our  Indian  races  has  been  to  segregate  the  distinct  tribes 
according  to  their  local  habitats  upon  so-called  reservations,  wherein 
public  lands  are  set  apart  for  their  residence  with  supplies,  schools, 
teachers,  superintendents,  etc.,  appointed,  representing  one  or  other  of  the 
religious  denominations  of  our  country.  All  the  reservations  thus,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  include  religious  instruction.  The  reservations  are 
severally  under  some  one  of  the  (for  Washington  Territory)  six 
agencies.  Total  number  of  our  reservations  is  sixteen.  Their  respective 
agents  are  responsible  to,  and  duly  report  to,  the  department  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

Each  and  every  one  of  each  tribe  is  hereunder  amenable  and  subject 
to  the  authorities  of  the  reservation  to  which  he  or  she  belongs.  But 
while  this  is  so.  their  personal  liberty  is  in  all  respects  unabridged,  and 
(subject  to  such  espionage)  families  or  individuals  may  come  and  go, 
reside  or  wander,  toil  or  trade,  live  or  die  where,  and  when,  and  as  any 
of  the  rest  of  us  may.  And  this  freedom  is  enjoyed  also  by  the  Indians 
of  British  Columbia.  So  also  any  of  our  Indians  may  elect  to  adopt  the 
life  and  habits  of  a  white  man,  and  having  done  so,  under  corroborating 
oath  of  two  white  residents  to  that  as  an  existing  fact,  he  is  allowed  to 
file  on  and  enter  land  under  our  Homestead  laws,  and  perfect  his  title 
thereto,  as  any  other  citizen.  As  a  result  of  such  general  personal  Hberty. 
the  Indian,  singly,  or  in  families,  or  camps,  may  be,  and  in  fact  is  found 
temporarily  or  in  transitu  all  along  our  lines.  And  so  also  it  happens 
that  our  cities  and  villages  on  the  shores  of  this  great  inland  sea,  with 
their  attraction  of  stores  and  markets  for  fish,  berries,  etc.,  are  never 
without  this  unique  migrating  Indian  population;  "tenting  on  the  beach," 
to  put  it  poetically. 

Our  total  Indian  population  for  Washington  Territory  in  1886  was 
estimated  (officially)  at  eleven  thousand,  of  which  five  thousand  reside 
on  our  Puget  Sound  waters  and  tributaries,  while  the  remainder  have 
their  habitat  eastward  on  the  other  side  of  the  snow-crested  Cascade 
Mountain  range.     These  eastern  Indians  are  as  fine  and  skilful  horsemen 


320       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

and  women  as  our  Puget  Sound  Indians  are  expert  in  the  canoe  life,  and 
during  the  summer  season  they  cross  the  mountains  in  large  numbers  for 
work  in  our  hop  fields.  But  our  shore  line  stretches  northward  and  west- 
ward, embracing  not  only  the  many  tribes  of  British  Columbia,  both 
on  the  seacoast  of  Vancouver  Island  and  its  inland  waters,  but  for 
seven  hundred  miles  to  our  Alaskan  territory.  Here  and  there  along 
this  whole  one  thousand  four  hundred  miles  of  shore  line  and  its 
estuaries  there  are  located  Indian  tribes  and  villages  and  camps  whose 
numbers  are  yet  untold,  and  whose  representatives  voyage  to  and  fro  in 
their  canoes — some  of  them  large  enough  to  carry  families  and  equipage 
of  fifteen  or  twenty — living  in  them  for  months,  and  camping  on  the 
shores  in  transitu.  Statistics  I  cannot  furnish,  but  each  succeeding  year 
finds  increasing  numbers  visiting  our  now  famous  hop  fields,  and  so- 
journing within  our  reach  for  months.  And  when  we  remember  that 
returning,  these  pilgrims  convey  to  their  scattered  and  thickly  populated 
villages,  not  only  the  fruits  of  their  earnings — much  of  it  in  stores  of 
groceries,  clothing,  household  furniture,  ornaments  of  a  variety  and 
character  and  value  surprising  to  a  civilized  onlooker,  but  also  the 
tales  of  their  adventures,  the  story  of  their  contacts,  and  the  influences 
of  the  good  and  the  evil  which  they  have  encountered — what  a  mighty 
missionary  factor  do  we  find  assailing  our  doors  and  issuing  thence  for 
Christ  or  Belial !  Shall  we,  oh,  shall  we  exhibit  a  zeal  for  our  pleading 
coming  Master,  at  least  commensurate  with  that  of  Satan's  cohorts? 

Seattle  is  the  focal  and  radiating  point  for  nearly  all  the  coast 
Indians  in  seeking  the  hop-field  employment.  Especially  is  this  so  re- 
garding the  great  body  of  those  who  come  from  British  Columbia  and 
the  northern  tribes,  which  more  than  any  others  are  crude  material,  so  far 
as  local  Christian  influences  obtain.  No  one  of  the  family  retinue,  save 
the  merest  baby,  is  exempt  from  duty  on  the  hop  field,  for  the  poles 
with  their  beautiful  clustering  burdens  are  laid  prone  upon  the  ground, 
and  the  picking  is  paid  for  by  the  box,  which  the  farmers  supply,  of 
invariable  size,  and  all  the  family  group  are  busy  and  useful  together. 

From  the  middle  of  August  here  gather  the  clans  and  families,  seeing 
the  sights,  procuring  their  outfit,  and  bargaining  with  the  growers  for 
the  season's  work,  camping  on  our  beach  or  contiguous  vacant  lots, 
strolling  in  groups  with  holiday  attire,  gazing  into  our  shop  windows, 
pedling  their  grotesque  toys  and  articles  of  artistic  handiwork.  Full  of 
curiosity,  and  always  pleased  with  any  kind  word  of  approach,  they  are 
accessible  as  no  other  class.  The  mere  singing  by  myself  and  wife  of  a 
Chinook  hymn  from  our  family  porch,  to  a  group  of  these  curious  street 
strollers,  often  elicits  an  interest  and  emotional  response  truly  surprising. 

Thus,  and  here  the  crowds  halt,  congregate,  and  disperse  to  the  many 
hop  fields,  where  the  picking  begins  about  September  i,  and  where 
throughout  the  weeks  or  months  that  ensue  they  may  be  constantly 
reached  for  religious  contact  and  local  meetings.  The  season  closing, 
back  comes  the  refluent  wave,  arriving  in  detachments  as  the  various 
fields  are  reaped,  and  here  again  sojourning  until  purchases  are  made  and 
the  winter's  stores  are  secured  when,  family  by  family,  and  camp  by 
camp,  they  take  their  departure.  Sometimes  a  whole  local  community 
will  select  a  winter  camp  adjacent,  and  locate  for  the  entire  winter 
season,  as  is  the  present  case  within  three  miles  of  the  home  where  I 
now  write. 

From  four  to  five  thousand  Indians  are  thus  brought  and  held  for 
two  or  three  months  at  least,  within  our  personal  reach  and  influence  each 
year.  Within  a  radius  of  twenty  miles,  however,  at  the  lumber  mills 
and  camps,  we  have  a  constant  population,  not  dwelling  on  any  reservation 
and  of  different  tribes,  numbering  perhaps  five  hundred.  These,  of  course, 
represent  tribal  affiliations  of  large  variety  and  number.  Such  is  our 
field. 


THE    INDIANS    IN    WASHINGTON  32 1 

OUR  OPPORTUNITY 

Our  Indians  have  no  literature  whatever.  Hieroglyphic  emblems  and 
signs  indicate  even  less  than  the  cadence-toned  notes  of  the  dumb  ani- 
mals as  to  interpreted  thought.  Pictures,  of  course,  voice  the  objects, 
but  not  the  sentiment  or  truth.  They  are  available  only  as  an  agency 
to  attract  and  awaken  curiosity.  The  Indian  language  is  divided  into 
tribal  dialects  so  distinct  that  rarely  any  individuals  of  even  con- 
tiguous tribes  can  communicate  therewith.  "  Unknown  tongues "  are 
they  indeed. 

But  God's  kind  providence  has  used  the  exigencies  of  trade  to  ex- 
temporize, rather  than  by  any  intelligent  act  to  formulate  a  commercial 
jargon  which  during  the  past  century  has  developed  into  an  almost  in- 
tertribal language  capable  of  communicating  general  intelligence,  apart 
from  abstract  truth.  Theologically,  this  may,  after  all,  prove  a  boon,  as 
controversial  dogmas  would  hardly  reach  the  mind  or  heart  of  the 
"  poor  Indian "  through  the  "  Chinook "  as  its  vehicle.  This  Chinook 
jargon,  as  it  is  called,  has  grown  out  of  the  necessities  of  trade,  first 
introduced  by  the  Hudson  Bay  traders  and  thereafter  continued  and 
expanded  by  the  increasing  contacts  of  Europeans  and  Americans.  To 
illustrate:  all  Hudson  Bay  traders  were  subjects  of  King  George,  hence 
"  King  George  man  "  is  always  the  term  used  to  indicate  an  Englishman. 
So,  we  were  first  known  through  the  trading  ships  from  Boston,  and 
thus  all  Americans  are  known  as  "  Boston  man."  Fuller  illustration  is 
given  below. 

Crude,  mongrel,  and  restricted  as  it  may  be,  it  has,  however,  be- 
came the  vehicle  of  communication  all  along  the  lines,  both  between  the 
several  tribes,  and  between  all  Indians  and  the  whites.  With  a  vo- 
cabulary of  only  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  words,  by  intonation  and 
vocal  inflection,  it  is  capable,  when  used  by  an  expert,  of  a  surprising 
range  of  communication. 

We   thus   find    a   Jerusalem   pentecostal    opportunity : 

First,  of  congregated  and  accessible  masses  representative  of  every 
tribe,  kindred,  people,  and  tongue  of  our  seaboard  Indian  nation,  and 

Secondly,  of  a  language  in  which  to  address  them  all  and  even  more 
than  that,  viz.,  to  tell  them  with  a  really  Spirit-filled,  Holy-Ghost-given 
tongue  of  utterance  the  "  wonderful  works  of  God." 

This  brings  me  to  speak  (but  not  so  fully  as  I  long  to,  owing  to  the 
modest  objection  of  the  individual)   of 

Our  God-given  Workers 

The  first  week  of  our  residence  in  this  city,  nine  years  ago,  myself 
and  wife  found  our  way  one  evening  to  a  humble  cottage  home  in  the 
lower  part  of  the  town.  Upon  entering  we  found  gathered  a  little  com- 
pany of  Indians,  mostly  women  who,  by  blackboard  and  the  "  Chinook."' 
were  being  instructed  in  the  Divine  word  and  life.  Their  teachers  were 
a  Christian  brother  of  mature  age,  and  his  wife,  an  Indian  woman. 
Warm  indeed  was  the  welcome  they  gave  us  to  their  little  home,  coming 
as  we  did  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  for  any  such  service  as  he  should 
appoint. 

We  found  them  truly  taught  of  God.  Since  then  our  intimacy  and 
intercourse  has  been  constant,  part  of  the  time  acting  as  their  pastor, 
and  all  the  time  co-operating  with  them  in  aggressive  Christian  work 
as  the  Lord  has  enabled  us.     Let  me  tell  you  who  they  are : 

In  the  Indian  mission  work  of  Rev.  Mr.  Duncan  in  British  Columbia, 
now  so  well  known,  some  thirty  years  ago  a  Christian  brother  of  in- 
telligence was  employed  as  a  millwright  and  carpenter.  In  that  mission 
was  a  young  Indian  woman  who,  by  birth,  was  of  lineal  descent  from  one 
of  the  proudest  and  most  potent  chiefs  of  the  Simpsean  tribe  of  the 
V 


2,22       BAPTIST    HISTORV    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Northwest.  They  were  married,  and  soon  thereafter  the  young  wife  was 
converted  and  became  a  zealous  worker.  Of  this  marriage,  eight  children 
are  the  fruitage ;  all  of  them  children  of  rare  grace,  and  the  eldest  son 
now  preaching  as  a  licentiate  of  one  of  our  city  churches,  and  struggling 
to  furnish  himself  with  a  thorough  education  for  the  ministry.  The 
wife  and  mother  has  been  a  ripening  Christian,  both  in  intelligence  and 
consecration,  for  years,  and  under  a  special  illumination  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  has  a  gift  of  utterance,  a  power  of  persuasion,  a  baptism  of  love, 
an  exuberance  of  joy,  and  an  ardor  of  devotion  I  have  seldom  or  never 
seen  equaled.  To  tell  the  story  of  Jesus  and  his  love  and  power  to  save  is 
the  one  thing  of  her  life,  and  whether  in  our  homes,  our  social  meetings 
or  gospel  halls,  when  she  speaks  all  hearts  respond,  sinners  melt  and 
saints  rejoice.  A  pure  Indian  herself  and  speaking  six  of  the  northern 
Indian  dialects — perfectly  at  home  with  the  Chinook — as  is  her  husband 
also,  who  accompanies  her  and  is  himself  graciously  gifted — her  mission 
among  the  Indians  is  always  and  everywhere  fruitful  and  saving. 
Almost  never  will  she  reveal  her  tribal  dignity,  but  if,  as  it  has  happened, 
when  speaking  in  their  camps  they  learn  her  tribal  and  her  family  name 
(pronounced  "  poose,"  I  think)  her  hearers  instantly  fall  back  and  form  a 
circle  around  her  in  awed  and  obsequious  veneration. 

And  among  the  baser  sort  of  dissolute  hangers-on  around  all  Indian 
camps,  it  often  happens  that  as  a  result  of  their  ministry  the  sodden  brain, 
and  lost  manhood,  and  seared  conscience  is  aroused  to  recognize  the  voice 
of  God,  to  feel  the  power  of  God,  to  accept  the  grace  of  God,  and 
confess  the  name  which  saves  to  the  uttermost.  In  our  city  work  at  the 
Salvation  Army  Hall,  their  power  and  influence  is  daily  felt.  Such,  with 
the  most  untold,  are  our  workers,  who  stand  with  sharpened  sickle  in 
hand,  longing  to  enter  more  fully  the  special  harvest-field  to  which  our 
Lord  now  pointing  bids  us  lift  up  our  eyes  and  behold.  Why  are  they 
not  fully  in  it? 

Simply  and  only  because  they  are  too  poor  to  sustain  themselves 
therein,  and  I  have  not  the  personal  means  to  furnish  them.  Perhaps,  I 
should  also  add,  because  you  have  not  heretofore  been  informed  of  the 
matter.  But  you  will  be  edified  by  some  recital  of  the  work  itself,  how- 
ever short  it  necessarily  must  be. 

The  Work 

By  private  offerings,  these  workers  have  been  somewhat  in  the 
fields.  Laboring  among  the  Indians  on  our  beaches  while  they  are  in 
transitu,  sowing  seeds,  truths,  and  listening  to  the  "  what  must  I  do "  of 
some,  and  the  personal  acceptance  of  Jesus  by  others,  they  follow  them 
in  due  time  to  the  hop  fields.  There  they  pass  among  the  workers,  seat 
themselves  on  the  ground,  with  a  given  family,  join  them  in  the  work 
of  picking,  filling  for  them  and  with  them  the  family  box  the  quicker, 
and  meanwhile  filling  the  minds  of  their  children  with  the  story,  and  the 
conscience  and  hearts  of  the  older  ones  with  the  shame  of  sin,  and  the 
power  and  love  of  the  Sin  Bearer. 

Thus  they  pass  among  the  gleaners,  helpful  both  to  the  employers 
and  the  employed,  and  winning  a  confidence  and  an  interest  which  secures 
for  them  a  congregation  at  the  camps  at  eventide.  Else,  perchance,  they 
pass  by  day  among  those  who,  sick,  infirm,  or  infantile,  must  needs 
stay  by  the  stuff,  and  there,  along  every  wise  and  loving  pathway  of 
Indian  access,  touch  hearts,  arouse  minds,  awaken  conviction,  and  present 
a  willing,  waiting  Saviour. 

Before  me  lie  their  field-notes,  kept  with  lead  pencil,  and  at  my 
request  placed  at  my  disposal.  Its  casual  recitals  are  more  eloquent  of  the 
unrecorded  influences  in  their  outreaching  scope,  geographically,  and  in- 
reaching  potency  numerically  and  personally,  than  of  all  that  is  recorded. 


THE    INDIANS    IN    WASHINGTON  323 

A  few  quotations  I  maj'  venture  to  make : 

"  Visited  the  hop  pickers  in  the  fields  and  talked  with  the  Indians. 
Within  one  hundred  feet  square  found  Indians  from  four  different  lo- 
calities. Pointed  them  to  the  Saviour.  One  '  Bella  Coola '  woman  said 
she  was  sick  of  sin,  and  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  '  Oh,  if  I  could  tell  you 
all  my  heart  in  my  own  language,  how  much  I  do  want  to  be  saved 
from  my  sins.'  Told  her  she  could  tell  it  all  to  Jesus  and  he  would 
understand  her  and   forgive.     She  accepted   Christ." 

"  Very  hard  rain.  Left  hop  fields  and  took  shelter  in  a  wayside 
house  (whites).  Found  mother  and  children,  all  unsaved.  Told  her 
of  the  blood  of  Exodus  and  of  Jesus  for  sin.  Knelt  in  prayer.  She  be- 
lieved, and  with  tears  of  joy  confessed  him,  and  begged  us  to  visit  her 
again.     Directed  her  and  family  to  the  village  church  and  pastor." 

"  An  interview  to-day  with  some  of  the  leaders  from  the  different 
tribes  whom  we  met  last  year.  Some  among  them,  from  Romish  in- 
fluence, last  year  opposed  our  work.  Welcome  us  warmly  now,  and 
urge  us  to  speak  at  the  grove  next  Sunday  to  the  Indians  en  masse. 
They  say  they  want  to  hear  more  about  God  loving  the  world,  and 
giving  his  only  begotten  Son." 

"  Visited  the  people  in  their  tents  and  labored  among  them  till  late 
at  night.  Met  '  Lah  Kiss,'  Indian  chief  of  Weewakum  tribe,  who  was 
converted  last  year.  Still  faithful  and  wanting  baptism  and  church 
fellowship.     Gave  him   some  medicine,   as  he   was  sick." 

"Met  'Joseph,'  the  young  Indian  chief.  He  was  rejoiced  to  see  us. 
His  face  shines  like  one  who  has  received  a  great  blessing.  He  is  ill 
and  in  pain,  but  very  happy." 

"  Note. — This  case  of  *  Joseph '  is  one  of  peculiar  interest.  In  1885 
he  was  first  met  by  Brother  and  Sister  Hamlett  at  the  hop  fields.  He 
is  of  the  British  Columbia  tribes  at  Euclataw  Rapids,  northern  part  of 
Vancouver  Island.  At  a  meeting  among  the  Indians  he  was  standing  on 
the  outside  of  circle,  and  attracted  by  the  singing,  '  Have  you  been  to 
Jesus?'  'I  am  coming.  Lord,'  he  called  to  have  it  repeated,  and  over 
and  over  again  he  insisted  so  that  it  was  hard  to  close  the  service.  No. 
more  at  that  time  was  seen  of  him.  The  following  year  he  was  met,  and 
was  rejoicing  to  Jesus,  the  Holy  Spirit  having  applied  that  hymn  to  his 
salvation.  By  his  experience  and  zeal  he  had,  meanwhile,  led  his  mother 
and  father,  his  sister  and  her  husband  to  Jesus,  and  they  had  been  help- 
ing him  teach  the  tribe.  He  was  baptized  with  several  others  who  were 
received  into  a  church  in  Seattle  as  he  was  returning  homeward  that 
year.  Last  fall  he  reported  some  forty  converts  among  his  people. 
A  Sunday-school  house  had  been  builded.  Methodist  circuit  preachers 
had  visited  them  and  baptized  some.  Some  twenty  of  his  people  applied 
for  church  admission  last  fall,  but  there  was  no  time  for  examination. 
Joseph  and  his  people  are  living  three  days'  travel  from  the  nearest 
mission.  He  holds  meetings  among  his  people,  who,  as  a  tribe,  accept  his 
teachings.  He  and  they  pleaded  with  Brother  and  Sister  Hamlett  to 
come  and  labor  and  teach  among  them." 

"We  both  preached  to-day  (Sunday)  to  an  attentive  Indian  congre- 
gation, and  afterward  preached  to  a  mixed  congregation  of  over  a 
thousand   Indians  and   whites." 

"  Picking  with  the  Indians  in  the  fields  to-day,  that  both  the  owners 
and  the  pickers  might  not  suffer  loss  through  our  work,  and  meanwhile 
talking  to  them  of  Jesus  and  looking  to  him  from  whom  cometh  all  wis- 
dom and  strength.  The  Lord  seems  to  lead  us  to  just  the  very  ones  that 
need  help,  and  long  for  the  word  of  life." 


324       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

"  After  work  to-day  we  preached  in  the  evening  to  a  company  of 
whites,  Chinese,  and  Indians.  Spoke  it  in  English,  as  many  of  these 
Indians  understood  it.  It  was  an  opportunity  to  preach  salvation  to 
sinners.  After  meeting  we  had  walked  nearly  a  mile  toward  our  lodgings, 
but  remembered  a  young  Indian  woman  who  had  been  very  ill  for  the 
last  three  days,  and  returned  just  in  time  for  my  wife  to  minister  to  her 
sore  need." 

"  Two  Indian  girls,  aged  fourteen  and  eighteen  years,  yielded  their 
hearts  to  Jesus  to-day.  Their  brother  had  already  been  saved ;  were 
from  the  '  Hydah '  (Alaskan)   tribe." 

"  One  of  our  best  meetings  this  evening  around  their  camp-fires. 
Sister  Hamlett  preached  from  '  What  shall  it  profit  a  man,'  etc.  A 
number  moved  to  tears ;  had  heard  the  word  '  Jesus,'  but  never  the  gospel. 
Gave  medicine  to  several  sick  ones,  and  returned  to  our  lodgings  very 
late,  and  more  than  ever  burdened  for  precious  souls  and  praying  for 
increase  of  spiritual  power." 

"  Went  to   Seattle  and  saw  Brother  ,  who  gave  me  ten  dollars 

from  the church  to  help  us  in  the  work  a  little  longer.     Enjoyed  the 

sweet  Christian   fellowship  and  prayer,  and  returned  refreshed.     Found 
wife  earnestly  laboring  with  the  lost  ones  and  bringing  them  to  Christ." 

"  One  of  the  managers  to-day  came  to  consult  with  me  about  his 
working  the  Indians  Sundays,  as  the  crop  was  behind.  Told  him  it 
would  prove  a  great  mistake,  for  with  their  conscience  troubled  all  the 
week,  it  would  afifect  their  work  more  than  the  one  day's  gain.  Also  that 
they  would  not  engage  with  him  next  season.  They  did  not  work 
Sunday." 

"  Wife  to-day  had  long  talk  with  chief  of  Kitwangan  tribe,  an  interior 
tribe  very  difficult  of  access.  He  fully  accepted  Jesus,  and  upon  proffering 
him  to  his  people,  they  told  him  it  would  make  him  poor  and  lose  his 
influence  and  did  all  in  their  power  to  dissuade  him.    He  continued  firm." 

"  Gracious  meeting  last  evening.  Left  the  Indians  still  singing,  and 
we  could  hear  them  when  half  a  mile  away.  A  collection  was  taken  for 
us  last  evening,  which  amounted  to  three  dollars,  just  the  sum  needed 
to  bring  us  to  our  home." 

"  Started  a  blue  ribbon  society  among  the  Indians.  The  pledge,  '  By 
the  help  of  Almighty  God  I  pledge  myself  to  abstain  from  the  use  of 
intoxicating  drinks  as  a  beverage.'     Nineteen  names  to  begin." 

"  Seattle.  Large  meeting  on  the  sawdust  (dumping  grounds  of  the 
sawmill  near  the  beach).  Many  hands  lifted — three  converted  of  the 
Nawitty  tribe  (northern).  Another  meeting — five  saved — one  a  Cowhe- 
gan,  one  a  Nass,  others  unknown   (these  are  all  from  far  north)." 

"  Preached  to  some  Indians  at  their  canoes — two  accepted  Christ — 
one   from   Alaska   Hyda   tribe." 

"  Visited  Indian  camps,  etc.,  again  at  Puyallup.  Large  attendance, 
three  converted  from  Nootka  Sound,  and  one  from  Skeever  River,  B.  C." 

"  Mary  Wahkelt,  Indian  woman  from  Skeever  Run,  B.  C,  converted 
and  at  once  began  to  tell  the  people  what  great  things  the  Lord  had  done 
for  her.  A  Neas  chief,  Kelustamux,  was  spoken  to  by  Sister  Hamlett, 
when  the  converted  woman  at  once  joined  in  the  exhortation,  until 
we  all  knelt  in  prayer ;   and  he  also  believed." 

"  Puyallup.  Meeting  on  the  streets,  mixed  crowd — a  converted  Jew 
much  moved  listening  to  Sister  Hamlett  and  asserting,  '  that  woman  is 
filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit.'     She  spoke  first  in  English,  then  in  Chinook. 


THE    INDIANS    IX    WASHINGTON  325 

Three  Indian  women  from  east  of  the  mountains,  who  were  great  horse- 
racers,  were  mounted  on  their  horses,  and  about  starting  for  the  races 
near-by,  remained,  and  in  spite  of  the  urging  of  their  companions  refused 
to  go,  being  held  by  the  word  spoken  about  the  devil's  traps  for  souls, 
among  which  horseracing  and  gambling  were  mentioned.  They  were 
among  those  who  raised  their  hands  as  inquirers  later." 

"  This  afternoon  a  chief  of  two  of  the  British  Columbia  tribes  was 
saved  while  kneeling  in  prayer  with  us  in  the  hop  fields.  In  the  evening 
there  were  six  different  tribes  represented  in  our  meeting.  A  large  number 
requested  praj-ers  by  rising,  among  them  several  white  men.  Nine 
professed  conversion." 

"  Preached  to  the  Indians  camped  on  the  ballast  pile  (ship's  dumping- 
ground),  white  loafers  around  us.  One  drunken  man  was  very  trouble- 
some, but  we  got  him  to  sit  down  and  listen.  At  close  I  spoke  specially 
to  the  now  large  crowd  of  whites  who  were  listening.  The  troublesome 
man  was  convicted  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  went  thence  to  the  evening  meeting 
of  Salvation  Army,  was  converted,  and  met  us  with  joy,  saying,  '  You  did 
not  preach  for  nothing  this  day  on  the  ballast  pile ;  it  saved  me.' " 

"  Visited  the  hospital  to-day  to  talk  with  the  Skeena  River  Indian 
who  was  recently  shot.  He  was  saved.  This  Indian  was  quite  rich,  and 
we  have  lately  heard  of  him  as  a  zealous  working  Christian.  Met  last 
evening  at  the  Salvation  Army  an  Indian  named  '  Sispergood,'  who  was 
seeking  to  find  us.  He  had  been  converted  in  our  home  meetings  eight 
years  ago,  and  we  had  not  seen  him  since.  He  was  full  of  joy,  and  still 
trusting  Jesus.     Was  formerly  a  drunkard,  now  working  for  souls." 

THE     CL.^RION 

Such  are  but  stray  items  or  straws  which  may  clearly  indicate 
the  direction  at  once  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  movement,  and  the  will  of 
the  Master  touching  our  dut}'.  To  my  recent  inquiry  our  dear  brother 
has  sent  me  a  line,  which  I  copy  in  his  own  language : 

"  In  the  vicinity  of  Seattle  there  are  a  number  of  Indian  settlements 
where  there  is  no  one  to  care  for  their  souls,  such  as  Squak  Valley, 
Cedar  River,  Milton,  Port  Blakely,  Port  Madison,  and  a  camp  of  Northern 
Indians  at  Duwanish  River. 

"  We  have  often  been  invited  by  the  Indians  of  the  Puyallup  reserva- 
tion, both  the  Catholics  and  the  Presbyterians,  to  come  and  hold  meetings 
with  them.  The  Cedar  River  Indians  beg  us  to  come  and  preach  Jesus 
to  them.  The  Yakimas  (east  of  mountains)  say  we  must  come  over 
in  June  certain — they  insisted  that  we  should  promise  to  come,  but  we 
could  only  tell  them  to  pray  that  God  might  send  us.  The  Near  Bay 
Indians — three  hundred  or  more — through  their  chief  has  called  us  to 
come  to  them.  The  British  Columbia  Indians  on  both  sides  (Pacific 
Ocean  and  Gulf  of  Georgia)  of  Vancouver  Island,  and  all  along  up  the 
coast  to  Alaska,  and  in  Alaska,  the  new  Mellakahtla  settlement  under 
Brother  Duncan,  want  us  to  come.  They  want  to  know  more  about 
the  new  birth ;  more  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  work  in  the  heart  as  the  Com- 
forter ;  more  about  the  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  As  they  meet  those 
returning  who  have  received  the  new  birth  and  the  joy  of  salvation,  they 
long  to  have  one  of  their  own  race  who  can  teach  them  the  way  of 
God  more  fully." 

CONCLUSION 

First.  God  has  brought  within  our  reach,  yea  to  our  very  doors,  a 
heathen  aboriginal,  many-tongued,  multitudinous,  sorely  tempted,  much- 
neglected,    rapidly    perishing,    non-resisting,    impressible,    receptive,    im- 


326       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

pulsive,  plastic,  longing,  pleading,  waiting,  sin-sick  and  heart-burdened 
people,  who  are  wanting  to  be  taught,  ready  to  receive,  zealous  to  prop- 
agate, untrammeled  by  system,  peaceable,  hospitable,  and  generous  to  a 
fault. 

Secondly.  These  people,  widely  scattered  in  their  habitats,  but 
annually  concentrated  by  their  representatives,  repeat  in  our  very  ears 
the  Macedonian  cry,  "  Come  over  and  help  us." 

Thirdly.  God  has  raised  up  from  among  them  one  who,  by 
education,  consecration,  and  baptism  of  power  in  the  Holj"  Ghost,  is  pre- 
eminently fitted  to  be  his  messenger  and  ours,  to  this  needy  people. 

Fourthly.  God  has  given  to  her  the  longing  to  go,  and  to-day  she 
reechoes  their  cry,  with  uplifted  hand  and  throbbing  heart,  by  the  divine 
refrain,  "  Here  am  I,  send  me ! " 

Fifthly.  This  oflfered  missionary  represents  in  teaching  the  Shibboleth 
of  no  sect  or  section  of  the  church,  but  that  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his 
Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou 
shalt  be  saved. 

Meanwhile  the  Holy  Spirit  cries  out : 

"  Whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved." 
How  then  shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom  they  have  not  believed,  and 
how  shall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard?  How  shall 
they  hear  without  a  preacher,  and  how  shall  they  preach,  except  they 
be  sent?" 

Sixthly.  God's  doctrine  herein  for  us  is  twofold,  viz.,  that  of  the  goer 
and  that  of  the  sender.    Its  exposition  resides  in  the  facts  now  presented. 

Seventhly.  The  teachers  are  at  hand  eager  to  be  sent.  The  re- 
sources and  the  senders  are?  (as  you  may  write  it). 


Rev.  W.  H.  Latourette 


BAPTIST  WORK  AMONG  THE  NATIVE 
TRIBES  IN  ALASKA 

In  the  Baptist  Beacon  of  November,  1881,  under  the  heading, 
"  An  Alaska  Mission,"  we  find  the  statement :  "  The  following  was 
presented  to  the  Convention  at  Eugene,  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker: 

Whereas,  There  are  nearly  sixty  thousand  Indians  in  Alaska,  the 
great  mass  of  whom  are  without  any  organized  mission  work,  and  among 
whom  we,  as  Baptists,  have  no  mission  at  all,  and 

Whereas,  God  has  so  signally  blest  the  efforts  of  the  Home  Mission 
Society  in  its  work  among  the  Cherokees,  and  other  tribes  east  of  the 
Rocky  mountains,  and 

Whereas,  The  way  is  soon  to  open  whereby  free  transportation  for 
missionaries  and  supplies  from  Puget  Sound,  for  an  Alaskan  mission,  can 
be  obtained  upon  the  North  Star  Mission  Boat,  now  being  built  for  mis- 
sion purposes  on  these  northern  waters,  by  Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow,  of  Seattle, 
W.  T.,  therefore. 

Resolved,  That  we  send  this,  our  memorial,  to  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society,  New  York,  and  petition  their  Board,  through  the 
honored  secretary,  Rev.  H.  L.  Morehouse,  D.  D.,  to  consider  the  pro- 
priety of  establishing  an  Alaskan  mission  at  an  early  day. 

Resolved,  secondly,  That  we  pledge  ourselves  to  second  the  effort  of 
the  society  to  establish  such  a  mission,  and  render  it  such  assistance 
as  we  can,  in  all  proper  and  legitimate  ways." 

In  June,  1885.  at  the  suggestion  of  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  and  in  ac- 
cordance with  a  request  of  Rev.  H.  L.  Morehouse  for  a  teacher  from 
Puget  Sound  for  Alaska,  Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth  was  recommended  by  the 
Executive  Committee  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association.  The  position 
of  government  teacher  in  Alaska  had  been  offered  to  the  American 
Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  by  General  Eaton,  United  States 
Commissioner  of  Education.  This  position  was  offered  to  Brother 
Wirth,  who  took  the  matter  under  advisement  and  communicated 
with  Doctor  Morehouse;  but,  in  June.  1886,  the  Herald  of  Truth 
announced  that  Prof.  W.  E.  Roscoe  had  received  the  appointment  as 
teacher  at  Kadiac,  Alaska;  and  on  August  16  he  arrived  in  Seattle 
to  await  transportation  to  his  post.  On  Saturday,  August  20,  Rev. 
Sheldon  Jackson,  who  directed  the  missions  in  Alaska,  finding  that 
a  teacher  was  needed  for  the  Methodist  work  there,  and  that  the 
vessel  was  about  to  sail,  offered  the  place  to  Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth,  on 
the  recommendation  of  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  and  Professor  Roscoe,  with 
the  understanding  that  a  Baptist  field  would  open  within  a  year. 
Within  twenty-four  hours,  however.  Rev.  J.  Dillon  and  Mr.  Spencer, 
of  Port  Townsend,  had  applied  for  the  place  as  Methodists,  and  he 
yielded  the  place  by  courtesy. 

327 


328       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Doctor  Jackson  expressed  his  regrets,  and  offered  to  guarantee 
$500  if  the  remainder  of  a  year's  salary  could  be  raised  for  Brother 
Wirth.  At  the  evening  service  on  August  29,  in  the  First  Baptist 
Church  of  Seattle,  Doctor  Jackson  presented  the  "  Alaskan  Mission," 
and  stated  his  offer.  Rev.  J.  P.  Ludlow  at  once  said  that  he  would 
give  $100,  and  $400  was  raised  in  a  few  minutes,  while  $300  additional 
was  guaranteed  by  a  committee  consisting  of  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  Rev. 
J.  P.  Ludlow,  R.  G.  Caldwell,  Robert  Knipe,  Mrs.  A.  Webster,  Mrs. 
L.  V.  Ward,  and  Mrs.  Sarah  Malson,  representing  the  Baptists  of 
Seattle.  Of  this  amount,  $4,000  was  paid  over  to  Brother  Wirth,  and 
the  remainder  of  the  pledges  were  to  be  collected  in  October.  Upon 
being  asked  if  Brother  Wirth  could  be  ready  to  start  in  three  days, 
Brother  Pierce,  with  his  characteristic  vim,  replied :  "  Yes,  if  there 
is  any  dynamite  in  town  " ;  and  two  hours  later  Brother  Wirth  ac- 
cepted the  appointment  to  Alaska. 

At  a  farewell  meeting  held  in  the  Baptist  church,  Thursday 
evening,  September  2,  the  following  resolutions  were  adopted : 

Whereas,  After  a  series  of  dela3's  and  discouragements,  quite  unex- 
plainable  to  our  narrow  vision,  the  wajf  has  been  signally  opened  for 
sending  pur  former  pastor  and  respected  counselor,  Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth. 
with  his  estimable  wife,  to  serve  as  an  independent  missionary  and  teacher 
in  co-operation  with  Bro.  W.  E.  Roscoe,  at  Kadiak,  Alaska ;  and. 

Whereas,  Many  friends  and  business  acquaintances  have  liberally 
responded  to  the  call  for  money,  resulting  in  securing  over  $600  toward 
the  support  of  Brother  and  Sister  Wirth;  therefore. 

Resolved,  That  we  recognize  with  thanksgiving  and  joy  the  good 
hand  of  God  upon  us  as  Christians  and  Baptists  in  the  wonderful  train 
of  circumstances,  and  in  the  dispositions  of  our  hearts,  which  have 
wrought  together  to  make  ready  and  to  send  out  on  their  Christian 
mission  to  the  benighted  people  of  Alaska  our  Brother  and  Sister  Wirth 
and  our  Brother  and  Sister  Roscoe ;  and. 

Resolved,  That,  in  spirit,  we  shall  follow  them  to  their  respective 
fields  of  labor  with  the  liveliest  interest  and  affection,  and  with  confident 
hope  that  God  will  bless  them  greatly,  and  make  them  a  blessing 
wherever  they  go. 

Done  at  the  farewell  meeting,  September  2,  1886,  the  pastor  in  the 
<^h^^''-  A.  H.  King,  Clerk  pro  tern. 

Sister  Roscoe  was  under  appointment  from  the  Women's  Ameri- 
can Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  of  New  England.  The  funds 
collected  for  Brother  Wirth's  work  were  $482.25,  with  pledges  for 
$148.50,  making  a  total  of  $630.75,  besides  the  $500  pledged  by  Dr. 
Sheldon  Jackson.  The  ship  Leo  sailed  at  10  a.  m.,  September  3,  1886, 
with  Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth  and  wife  and  Prof.  W.  E.  Roscoe  and  wife, 
Baptists;  Rev.  J.  W.  Curry  and  wife,  Presbyterians;  and  Rev. 
J.  H.  Carr  and  wife,  Methodists;  and  they  reached  Kadiak  on  Sep- 
tember 22. 

Brother  Wirth  was  stationed  at  Afognak,  an  island  about  forty 
miles  long  and  twenty  wide,  northeast  of  Kadiak,  from  which  it  is 


THE    NATIVE    TRIBES    IN    ALASKA  329 

separated  by  a  narrow  channel.  The  inhabitants  are  Creoles,  or 
Russian  half-breeds,  and  Aleuts,  a  branch  of  the  Eskimo  family. 
The  government  officials  are  all  at  Kadiak,  and  at  Brother  Wirth's 
station  there  were  no  whites,  no  English  people  whatever,  and  no 
mails  except  once  or  twice  a  year.  His  letters,  as  well  as  those  of 
Prof.  W.  E.  Roscoe,  describing  the  people,  and  their  manner  and 
customs,  are  exceedingly  interesting,  and  one  cannot  help  ad- 
miring the  loving  self-sacrifice  that  prompted  this  devoted  man  and 
his  wife  to  cut  themselves  from  all  the  comforts,  conveniences,  and 
pleasures  of  civilized  life  to  preach  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ 
to  a  semisavage  and  barbarous  people.  Poor  health  compelled  him, 
in  1890,  to  return  to  Seattle;  his  wife  died  the  following  August, 
and  he,  January  13,  1891. 

Prof.  W.  E.  Roscoe  says  of  Brother  Wirth's  Alaskan  work: 

Brother  Wirth  did  three  years  of  good  missionary  work  at  Afognak. 
He  had  to  learn  the  Russian  language,  a  task  which,  with  his  great  lin- 
guistic learning  and  ability,  he  soon  accomplished,  and  by  his  translating 
from  English  into  Russian,  his  pupils  made  rapid  progress  in  English. 
He  was  soon  able  to  read  the  Russian  Bible,  and  would  gather  the 
people  about  him,  teaching  them  the  old,  old  story.  He  was  greatly  be- 
loved by  both  parents  and  children,  and  after  he  had  gone  away,  the 
people  would  hopefully  say,  when  they  saw  a  vessel  coming :  "  Perhaps 
the  old  teacher  is  coming  back."  His  able  successor  was  Mr.  John  Duff, 
who  also  did  excellent  work. 

The  work  at  Kadiak  Island  was  continued,  and  developed  into 
a  Baptist  mission  and  orphanage  under  the  fostering  care  of  the 
Women's  Home  Mission  Society  of  Boston. 

A  report  from  M.  G.  Reynolds  states  in  October,  1889: 

Mrs.  Roscoe,  of  Kadiak  Island,  Alaska,  is  unable  to  do  constant 
work,  but  she  will  continue  to  be  our  teacher  and  give  her  services.  At 
a  Board  meeting,  held  in  April,  it  was  voted  to  appoint  a  teacher  at 
Wood  Island.  A  letter  from  Mr.  Roscoe  informs  us  that  it  is  unsafe 
to  send  a  single  woman  or  even  two  single  women  to  this  island,  be- 
cause of  the  drunken  white  men,  as  well  as  the  natives.  We  are  in  cor- 
respondence with  Doctor  Jackson  about  the  matter,  and  hope  soon  to  find 
some  place  to  send  a  teacher. 

On  May  20,  1895,  Professor  Roscoe  writes  from  Wood  Island: 

In  December,  1891,  the  Women's  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society 
voted  to  build  an  orphanage  at  Wood  Island,  Alaska.  In  the  early 
summer  of  1892  the  material  for  the  building  was  landed  at  Wood 
Island,  and  Nicholas  Fadroff,  teacher  of  the  government  school  at  Karlak, 
was  requested  to  superintend  the  building.  By  a  letter  failing  to  reach 
him  in  time,  the  government  having  discontinued  his  school,  owing  to  the 
small  appropriation  from  Congress,  he  went  to  San  Francisco.  This  de- 
layed the  work  till  the  spring  of  1893,  when  W.  E.  Roscoe  arrived  to  take 
charge  of  the  mission  work.  In  a  few  days  a  good  site  had  been 
selected,  and  work  on  the  premises  begun.  The  ground  was  par- 
tially cleared,  and  a  garden  cultivated,  in  addition  to  erecting  the 
orphanage. 


330       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

On  the  Fourth  of  July  the  work  was  sufficiently  advanced  to  per- 
mit our  receiving  the  first  mission  child,  who  presented  himself  at 
night  in  a  drenching  rain.  He  said :  "  I  want  to  live  at  the  mission,  as  I 
have  no  place  to  live."  Soon  other  children  were  added  to  the  number. 
Miss  Carrie  Currant,  of  Boston,  came  out  as  teacher  and  missionary. 
She  entered  on  her  duties  with  alacrity  and  pleasure.  Soon,  however,  she 
was  completely  prostrated  by  sickness,  and  much  to  our  sorrow,  this 
accomplished  and  estimable  lady  felt  compelled  to  return  to  Boston. 
Her  place  was  not  filled  for  nearly  a  year,  when  Miss  Lulu  C.  Good- 
child,  of  Philadelphia,  was  appointed  to  Wood  Island.  The  number  of 
children  has  increased  as  fast  as  the  workers  in  the  mission  could  care 
for  them.  Lately,  another  assistant  has  been  voted  by  the  society. 
Aside  from  caring  for  the  orphanage  children,  the  teacher  instructs 
all  neighboring  children  wishing  to  attend  the  orphanage  day-school. 
It  is  the  intention  of  the  missionaries  to  combine  industrial  education 
with  moral  and  intellectual  training.  Thus  the  children  are  constantly 
trained  to  work ;  and  as  the  years  go  by,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  a  few 
workshops  can  be  added  to  the  mission  improvements. 

Religious  instruction  is  given  to  the  orphanage  children  in  a  Sunday- 
school  open  to  all  neighborhood  children  who  wish  to  attend.  Evangel- 
istic work  is  carried  on  when  the  missionaries  can  spare  the  time. 
Thus,  the  Baptist  mission  at  Wood  Island  is  proving  a  beacon  light  in 
a  wilderness  of  sin.  A  reformation  has  begun  at  Wood  Island  and 
Kadiak. 

As  early  as  September,  1892,  the  Women's  Home  Mission  Society 
reported  the  receipts  for  the  Alaska  Orphanage  as  having  reached 
the  sum  of  $4,857.75, 


THE    FIRST    BAPTIST    CHURCH    IN   ALASKA 

1.  The  first  Baptist  church  in  Alaska  was  organized  Sunday 
morning,  July  29,  1896,  at  Wood  Island,  Rev.  Curtis  P.  Coe,  who 
was  afterward  called  as  pastor,  presiding.  Six  members  constituted 
the  church,  which  is  known  as  the  Wood  Island  Baptist  Church.  In 
1899  there  were  ten  members,  two  having  been  received  by  letter 
that  year,  and  two  mission  girls  by  baptism.  Three  other  mission 
girls  had  been  received  as  candidates  for  baptism,  and  others  were  not 
far  from  making  a  confession  of  faith  in  Jesus. 

2.  The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Skagway  was  organized  with 
seventeen  members,  January  10,  1899,  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Jordan  mis- 
sionary of  the  Home  Mission  Society.  The  church  held  its  services  in 
the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  tent  until  about  April  i, 
when  they  were  transferred  to  the  union  church  building,  where  they 
were  held  once  each  Sunday.  The  church  had  selected  a  lot  on  the 
corner  of  Main  Street  and  Fourth  Avenue,  and  this  was  bought 
by  Dr.  C.  A.  Wooddy,  Superintendent  of  Missions,  on  February  7, 
from  Mrs.  Lester  Butler  for  $700,  the  cash  being  furnished  by  the 
Home  Mission  Society.  Plans  for  the  church  were  prepared  and 
donated  by  Mr.  Henry  Dozier,  of  Skagway.  May  15  the  contract 
was  let;  work  was  begun  the  next  day;  and  on  August  19  the  build- 
ing was  accepted  by  the  Building  Committee.  The  total  cost  up  to 
the  time  of  the  dedication,  on  Sunday,  August  27,  was  $3,049.  Of 
this  sum,  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  had  paid 
$1,900;  the  church-members  and  citizens  of  Skagway,  $544;  the 
Ladies'  Aid  Society,  for  furnishing,  $140;  there  was  $95  on  hand  in 
cash  and  pledges;  and  the  Sunday-school  of  the  First  Church  in  Port- 
land, Ore.,  had  donated  a  communion  set  worth  $20.  The  deficiency 
of  $350  was  asked  for  at  the  dedication ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  more 
than  this  amount  was  subscribed  or  paid  in  cash. 

Pastor  J.  C.  Jordan,  who  had  been  sent  to  Skagway  in  October, 
1898,  as  the  missionary  of  the  Home  Mission  Society  on  the  recom- 
mendation of  Rev.  W.  H.  Latourette.  the  Alaskan  general  missionary, 
had  charge  of  the  dedication  services.  Rev.  H.  L.  Morehouse.  D.  D., 
preached  at  11  a.  m.  a  strong  and  comforting  sermon  from  Hebrews 
11:27,  last  clause;  and  Rev.  C.  A.  Wooddy,  D.  D.,  preached  in  the 
evening.    Brother  Wooddy  said : 

With  a  closing  prayer,  was  ended  a  day  of  great  rejoicing  for  the 
little  church  of  far-away  Skagway.  This  delightful  realization  of 
hopes  has  been  made  possible  by  the  continued  liberality  of  the  Home 
Mission  Society  and  the  faithful  labor  of  Pastor  Jordan  on  the  field, 
with  the  liberality  of  the  people  of  Skagway.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  P.  Mead, 
by  caring   for    Pastor  Jordan   without  charge,   have   contributed   a   large 

33T^ 


332       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

share  to  this  success.  Rev.  W.  H.  Latourette,  who  spent  some  months 
here  opening  this  work  and  completing  its  preliminary  organization, 
deserves  the  large  place  he  has  in  the  love  of  the  church  and  the  esteem 
of  the  people  of  Skagway. 

Rev.  J.  C.  Jordan  was  succeeded  in  the  pastorate  by  Rev.  G.  S. 
Clevenger  in  1899,  and  a  parsonage  was  built  and  paid  for.  Brother 
Clevenger  was  w-ell  liked  in  Skagway,  and  the  press  spoke  highly  of 
him.  The  meeting-house  was  full  at  the  evening  services;  free  lec- 
tures and  musical  entertainments  were  given  on  week-day  evenings 
to  draw  men  from  more  questionable  places  of  amusement;  and 
meetings  were  held  with  the  soldiers  at  the  barracks  with  great  en- 
couragement. Two  members  were  received  in  October,  1900,  making 
eighteen  in  all. 

This  closes  the  record  of  the  Alaska  Missions  conducted  by  Bap- 
tists in  the  nineteenth  century,  leaving  an  open  field  for  growth  and 
development  by  twentieth-century  workers.  The  possibilities  for  ac- 
quiring gold  in  this  country  is  marvelous  indeed,  and  will  doubtless 
exceed  the  highest  expectations.  But  the  possibilities  for  delving  in 
the  exhaustless  mine  for  gold  that  never  perishes,  to  adorn  the  lives 
of  human  beings,  and  finally  to  become  an  asset  in  the  great  city  of 
gold,  "  the  new  Jerusalem,"  is  far  greater,  and  should  challenge 
equally  the  prospectors  and  miners  in  God's  service  in  this  twentieth 
century. 


SCANDINAVIAN  WORK 


CHAPTER  I 

BEGINNINGS 
1875-1893 

General  missionary  appointed.  Nature  of  work.  Building  houses  of  worship. 
Remarkable  pioneer.  Scandinavian  Conference  organized.  Swedish  Conference. 
Union  affected.  Subjects  considered.  A  coast  general  missionary.  Co-operation. 
Miss  Mathilde  Malmberg  and  the  women's  work.     Missionary  conference. 

The  letter  of  the  First  Church,  Portland,  to  the  Willamette 
Association  for  1875,  reports:  "Brother  Landstone  has  charge  of 
the  Scandinavian  Mission,  and  his  labors  have  been  Messed.  Six 
have  confessed  their  faith  in  Jesus  by  baptism."  No  further  mention 
of  the  work  is  found  until  in  January,  1881,  the  Scandinavian  work 
was  opened  by  the  Mission  Board  of  the  Convention  of  the  North 
Pacific  Coast  by  the  appointment  of  Rev.  Olaus  Okerson  to  act  as 
a  general  missionary  among  all  classes  of  Scandinavians.  The  fol- 
lowing clipping  from  the  report  of  the  Board  of  that  year  will 
show  the  nature  of  his  work : 

Early  in  the  year  Rev.  O.  Okerson,  who  for  many  years  has  been 
engaged  in  the  ministry,  and  in  missionary  work  among  his  countrymen 
in  Minnesota,  Wisconsin,  and  Illinois,  came  to  this  Upper  Coast,  longing 
to  do  something  for  his  countrymen,  many  of  whom  are  living  upon  this 
great  field.  The  Board  felt  as  if  God  was  calling  upon  us  to  open  work 
among  this  long-neglected  people.  Brother  Okerson  was  commissioned  and 
has  laid  the  foundation  for  a  great  work.  He  has  visited  a  large  territory 
and  many  settlements,  traveling  long  distances  on  foot  to  reach  his 
people.  Our  brethren  in  Portland,  where  he  makes  his  headquarters  and 
who  have  had  the  best  opportunities  to  know,  regard  the  man  as  eminently 
fitted  for  his  work,  and  trustworthy.  We  believe  this  work  to  be  very 
important,  and  will  be  constantly  increasing  on  our  hands. 

Brother  Okerson's  missionary  work  was  conducted  with  remark- 
able success.  He  built  and  dedicated,  free  of  debt,  a  house  of  wor- 
ship in  Seattle,  costing  $2,200,  which  was  held  in  trust  by  the 
First  Baptist  Church  until  the  First  Scandinavian  Baptist  Church 
was  organized  in  1883.  He  performed  the  same  service  in  Tacoma. 
building  a  house  costing  $1,200,  which  was  held  ready  for  the  oc- 
cupancy of  the  First  Scandinavian  Church,  organized  in  18S5.  Both  of 
these  churches  were  constructed  with  living  rooms  attached  for  the 
pastor's  family.  Brother  Okerson  was  one  of  God's  noblemen.  He 
performed  a  remarkable  pioneer  service  for  his  people.     He  visited 

333 


334       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

them  on  all  parts  of  the  field ;  and  to  him,  more  than  to  any  other  man 
in  those  early  days,  is  to  be  given  the  credit  of  laying  the  broad 
and  biblical  foundation  which  has  put  the  Scandinavian  peoples 
abreast  of  the  Americans  in  the  great  v^rork  of  the  Baptists  in  later 
years.  He  was  a  man  of  God,  a  brother  who  was  highly  appreciated, 
loved,  and  honored,  and  he  was  helpful  in  all  our  Associations  and 
conventions.  His  great  loving  heart  abounded  in  interest  for  all 
peoples  and  all  departments  of  Christ's  work. 

The  North  Pacific  Coast  Convention  directed  the  work  among 
the  Scandinavians  until  superseded  by  the  Northwest  Convention. 
The  Scandinavian  Conference,  organized  in  1891,  co-operated  with 
the  Northwest  Convention  like  an  Association,  being  formed  by  the 
Scandinavian  churches  belonging  to  the  different  Associations  of  the 
Convention. 

Prior  to  the  organization  of  the  Scandinavian  Conference,  there 
had  been  a  Swedish  Conference  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  which  held 
quarterly  meetings.  At  the  meeting  held  in  Seattle,  October  17,  i8, 
1890,  the  question  of  reorganizing  into  a  Scandinavian  Baptist  Con- 
ference was  discussed  and  recommended  to  the  churches  for  their 
consideration ;  and  at  the  meeting  held  in  Portland,  Ore.,  December 
12,  13,  1890,  it  was  voted  unanimously  to  disband  the  Swedish  Con- 
ference and  to  organize  a  Scandinavian  Conference.  A  committee  to 
frame  a  constitution  for  the  new  Conference  was  appointed,  and 
also  one  to  confer  with  the  Northwest  Convention  as  to  the  best 
and  most  satisfactory  plan  of  work.  Hearty  thanks  were  tendered  to 
the  Northwest  Convention,  the  Oregon  Convention,  and  the  Home 
Mission  Society  for  the  generous  aid  it  had  given  to  the  struggling 
Scandinavian  churches. 

The  first  mention  of  the  Scandinavian  Conference  in  the  minutes 
of  the  Northwest  Convention  is  in  the  report  of  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper,  as 
secretary  of  the  Mission  Board  for  the  meeting  of  August  25-30,  1891. 
Under  the  head  of  Scandinavians,  he  says : 

The  Swedish  and  Norwegian-Danish  churches  now  number  eight, 
with  three  hundred  and  seven  members.  They  have  arranged  to  meet 
this  fall  and  organize  a  Scandinavian  Conference.  This  will,  no  doubt, 
increase  their  efficiency  in  missionary  work.  Thej'  will  continue  co- 
operation with  the  Convention  and  the  Home   Mission  Society. 

In  December,  1891,  the  Scandinavian  Conference  met  for  its 
first  annual  session,  with  the  Scandinavian  church  of  Tacoma.  Seven 
sermons  were  preached.  Home  Missions,  foreign  missions,  Sunday- 
schools,  and  temperance  were  discussed,  and  appropriate  resolutions 
were  adopted.  The  conference  acknowledged  with  gratitude  the  help 
and  sympathy  of  the  Northwest  Convention  and  of  the  Home  Mission 
Society.  The  Women's  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  was  thanked 
especially  for  sending  Miss  Mathilde  Malmberg  to  work  among  the 
Scandinavians  of  the  far  West.    The  churches  were  advised  to  try  to 


BEGINNINGS  335 

raise  enough  money  to  call  a  good  man  to  take  charge  of  the  general' 
Scandinavian  work  on  the  field  of  western  Washington  and  northern 
Oregon.  The  Conference  changed  its  time  of  meeting  so  as  to  come 
before  the  session  of  the  Northwest  Convention  instead  of  after. 
Unusual  interest  and  spirituality  prevailed  through  the  whole  meet- 
ing, and  several  rose  for  prayers. 

In  April,  1891,  Rev.  Louis  J.  x^hlstrom  became  the  general  mis- 
sionary for  the  Swedes  in  California  and  Oregon,  by  appointment  of 
the  Home  Mission  Society. 

In  1892  the  eight  churches  of  the  Scandinavian  Conference  had 
three  hundred  and  thirty-two  members.    Rev.  D.  D.  Proper  says : 

Our  Swedish  and  Norwegian  brethren  assembled  this  year  and 
organized  a  Conference  in  order  to  do  more  effective  work  for  the 
Lord.  Your  Board  has  voted  to  co-operate  with  the  Conference,  and  to 
extend  aid  to  support  the  work  at  the  rate  of  three  dollars  to  one 
dollar  that  the  Conference  raises  for  its  own  work,  and  to  pay  into  the 
Convention  treasury  not  to  exceed  $1,200  from  the  Board,  including  the 
contributions  of  the  Conference. 

The  women's  societies  voted  that  three-fourths  of  their  offerings 
for  home  missions  were  to  go  to  the  Scandinavian  missions.  This 
year  four  of  the  home  missionaries  were  Scandinavians. 

In  1893  we  find  in  the  report  of  the  Convention  Board  that 

The  Norwegian-Danish  and  Scandinavian  churches  have  withdrawn 
from  the  Conference  and  will  affiliate  with  our  Associations.  The 
Swedish  churches  are  organized  into  what  will  be  the  Swedish  Con- 
ference next  year.  Three  new  Swedish  churches  have  been  organized,  and 
during  part  of  the  year  Rev.  O.  Okerson  was  employed  by  these  brethren 
in  doing  a  general  mission  work  among  the  Swedish  people.  There  is 
great  need  of  active  work  among  this  people.  Miss  Malmberg,  of  the 
Women's  Home  Mission  Society,  has  been  laboring  to  good  purpose 
among  these  churches  and  destitute  places. 

According  to  the  census  of  1890,  there  were  thirty  thousand  Swedes  in 
this  State,  and  of  these  four  thousand  five  hundred  were  in  Seattle  and 
five  thousand  nine  hundred  in  Tacoma. 

The  coming  of  Rev.  C.  W.  Finwall  from  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  to  the 
Norwegian-Danish  church  in  Seattle  has  been  a  source  of  great  en- 
couragement, and  we  believe  it  will  be  the  means,  under  God,  of 
changing  threatened  defeat  into  glorious  victory  for  Christ  and  the 
Baptists  of  this  nationality.  He  has  started  a  promising  mission  in 
Ballard,  where  there  is  at  present  no  other  preaching  for  this  people 
in  their  own  language. 

Two  missionaries  for  each  nationality  have  been  under  appointment. 

Our  sisters  have  continued  to  render  good  service  in  raising  money 
toward  the  support  of  the  Scandinavian  work,  and  have  contributed 
$362.30  for  the  year.  Mrs.  S.  W.  Beaven,  as  vice-president  for  the  State, 
has  proved  an  efficient  worker  in  this  department,  and  has  vindicated  the 
wisdom   of  her  appointment. 

The  statistics  credit  the  Swedish  Conference  with  eight  churches, 
having  a  membership  of  two  hundred  and  seventy  under  six  pastors, 
who  have  baptized  sixteen. 


336       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

The  Norwegian-Danish  and  Scandinavian  churches  appear  as 
unassociated. 

In  July,  1894,  the  Missionary  Conference  held  with  the  First 
Norwegian-Danish  Church  of  Seattle  was  a  real  blessing  to  all  pres- 
ent. Our  national  denominational  societies  were  given  due  consider- 
ation, as  was  also  the  State  work.  Bro.  G.  Berg,  missionary  col- 
porter  of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  gave  a  well- 
written  paper  on  "  Redeeming  the  Time."  One  intelligent  young 
woman  gave  herself  to  Jesus  at  the  meetings,  and  confessed  her  Lord 
openly. 


'■    "  CHAPTER  II 

SWEDISH    CONFERENCE 
1899-1900 

Permanent  organization.  Co-operation.  Statistics.  Women's  work.  Quarterly 
meeting.  Foreign  missions.  August  Olson.  Andrew  Swartz.  Resolutions.  Norwe- 
gian Danish  Convention.  Report  of  Board.  First  annual  meeting.  Report  of  1896 
and  1897.     Contributions.     Reports  of  1898  and  1899.     1900  record. 

In  October,  1894,  we  find  in  the  report  of  the  Convention  Board, 
under  the  head  of  Swedish  Conference : 

This  is  now  a  regularly  organized  body,  which  corresponds  with  our 
Associations,  and  for  purposes  of  mutual  improvement  and  efficiency  in 
the  Master's  work,  holds  quarterly  meetings.  The  churches  co-operate 
directly  with  our  Convention. 

This  year  the  Conference  has  entered  into  co-operation  with  the 
Publication  Society  in  the  support  of  a  colporter,  Rev.  F.  Goranson,  who 
is  doing  good  service  in  visiting  the  destitute  places  where  these  people 
live.  The  Swedes  are  very  earnest  in  their  efforts  to  supply  their  people 
with  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  by  Baptists. 

There  are  now  eight  Baptist  churches,  with  three  hundred  and  eight- 
een members  on  this  field.  The  work  needs  enlarging,  and  could  be  made 
very  profitable  if  we  had  the  means  to  do  it.  The  Board  has  aided 
in  the  support  of  three  pastors. 

Under  Norwegian-Danish  work,  Brother  Proper  says : 

If  it  was  at  all  practicable,  the  work  among  this  people,  now  num- 
bering about  thirty-five  thousand  in  the  State,  with  probably  five  thou- 
sand more  in  British  Columbia,  should  be  enlarged.  This  year  we  have 
had  one  missionary  in  Seattle  and  one  in  Tacoma.  A  new  church  has  been 
organized  by  Brother  Finwall,  in  Ballard. 

Under  Women's  Home  Mission  work,  it  is  said: 

The  ladies,  having  undertaken  to  support  the  Scandinavian  work  In- 
giving  two-thirds  of  their  contributions  to  this  purpose,  have  worked 
with  earnest  zeal  to  provide  the  funds  for  this  department.  Five 
Swedish  and  Norwegian  missionaries  have  been  under  appointment,  and 
the  amount  necessary  to  be  raised  by  the  Convention  was  $390.  The 
total  amount  of  contributions  from  the  circles  and  missions  is  $391.04. 

Mrs.  S.  W.  Beaven  continues  to  be  vice-president  for  the  Convention, 
and  has  been  diligent  in  securing  contributions  for  the  work.  Miss 
Fannie  Allen,  as  general  missionary  for  the  Women's  Society,  has  been 
devoted  to  her  work  in  visiting  the  circles. 

When  the  Scandinavian  Baptist  Conference  met  at  Seattle  in 
June,  1893,  the  sisters  held  a  missionary  meeting.  The  diflferent 
home  mission  circles  of  the  State  reported  missionary  zeal  and  effort 
to  be  in  a  very  encouraging  condition.     Three  young  women  were 

w  337 


^;^8      BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

present  who  had  studied  in  the  missionary  training  school  at  Chicago. 
Among  them  was  Miss  Mathilde  Malmberg,  who  suggested  the  or- 
ganization of  a  Women's  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  as  a 
branch  of  the  Women's  Home  Mission  Society  of  the  West.  The 
organization  was  effected,  with  the  following  officers :  President, 
Mrs.  A.  Olson,  of  Seattle;  vice-president.  Miss  Mathilde  Malmberg; 
treasurer,  Mrs.  Sjoberg;  secretary,  Mrs.  Mary  Carlson.  A  collection 
of  $9  was  taken  to  begin  their  organized  work.  A  number  of  Tidings, 
the  organ  of  the  Women's  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  has  the 
following : 

Mrs.  S.  W.  Beaven,  in  her  annual  report,  presented  at  the  women's 
missionary  meeting  held  in  connection  with  the  State  Convention,  refers 
to  the  noble  efforts  of  the  sisters  notwithstanding  the  stringency  of  the 
times.  She  refers  to  the  organization  of  eleven  new  branches,  and  the 
reorganization  of  four  others,  giving  a  total  of  forty  auxiliaries  in  west 
Washington.  She  speaks  very  kindly  of  the  visit  of  the  corresponding 
secretary  last  spring,  and  the  impulse  given  to  the  work.  In  a  partial 
summary  of  her  labor,  the  vice-president  mentions  two  hundred  letters 
and  fifty  postal  cards  written,  and  many  pages  of  literature  distributed. 

The  service  of  Miss  Anna  Beaven,  who  assists  in  the  work  among  the 
young  people  and  children,  was  referred  to  with  appreciation ;  and  the 
work  of  directors  gratefully  recognized.  "  The  gifts  and  sacrifices  of 
the  Scandinavian  sisters,"  says  Mrs.  Beaven.  "  brings  a  blush  to  some 
more  favored  financially.  For  work  in  the  Scandinavian  department  our 
women  of  west  Washington  have  contributed  $391.  Toward  the  general 
work  of  the  W.  B.  H.  M.  S.  the  offerings  have  amounted  to  $201.05, 
while  $201.90  has  been  given  to  the  Students'  Aid  Fund  in  the  Training 
School.  Supplies  sent  to  missionaries  for  use  in  industrial  schools  are 
valued  at  $52.05. 

Mrs.  Anna  Sandberg  Olson,  president,  sends  us  her  last  letter  from 
Seattle,  as  she  accompanies  her  husband  to  Spokane,  where  he  becomes 
pastor  of  the  little  church,  at  whose  organization  he  was  present,  and  to 
which  our  missionary.  Miss  Malmberg,  has  given  her  motherly  care  dur- 
ing the  past  year.  Mrs.  Olson  sends  a  picture  of  the  children's  Mission 
Band  in  Seattle,  which  we  would  be  glad,  if  we  could,  to  reproduce  in 
Tidings.  It  is  a  beautiful  group  of  Swedish  children.  They  send  to  our 
society  $10,  the  result  of  their  own  jearnings.  They  also  gave  a  like 
amount  to  the  Foreign  Mission  Society.  Mrs.  Olson  says :  "  The  most 
blessed  thing  is  that  four  of  the  band  are  praying  for  the  society  and  its 
workers.    These  are  members  of  the  church,  and  happy  in  the  Lord." 

On  December  13,  1894,  the  Swedish  Conference  of  western 
Washington  held  its  quarterly  meeting  at  Tacoma.  Reports  from  each 
of  the  eight  churches  were  given  by  delegates,  and  from  the  whole 
field  by  Rev.  F.  Goranson,  the  colporter.  The  work  and  the  interest 
are  growing,  and  the  number  of  members  is  increasing.  In  spite  of 
the  hard  times  and  the  lack  of  work,  these  small  churches  and  poor 
but  willing  members  are  doing  their  very  best  to  support  the  different 
missionary  enterprises.  Foreign  missions  were  presented  in  an  ad- 
dress by  Rev.  A.  G.  Hall,  home  missions  by  C.  Erickson,  and  the 
Swedish  work  in  western  Washington  by  Rev.  F,  O.  Lonn.  Some 
biblical  subjects  were  ventilated;  and,  in  the  evening,  good  gospel 
meetings  were  held.    The  purposes  of  these  quarterly  meetings  are  to 


SWEDISH    CONFERENCE  339 

increase  the  interest  in  missions,  to  promote  spiritual  edification,  and 
to  hold  revival  services.  The  three  pastors  of  the  Conference  were 
all  present,  and  blessings  from  on  high  were  richly  showered  upon  all 
the  meetings. 

On  June  13-16,  1895,  t'^^  annual  meetings  of  the  Swedish  Confer- 
ence were  held  at  Ballard.  The  churches  were  well  represented  by 
delegates,  and  all  felt  the  Holy  Spirit  resting  upon  them.  Reports 
from  the  churches  were  given  and  sermons  preached  which  inspired 
them  to  continue  to  raise  up  the  banner  of  the  cross.  Bro.  August 
Olsen  had  resigned  the  pastorate  of  the  Seattle  church  and  left 
the  Conference  to  go  to  Spokane,  and  Bro.  Andrew  Swartz  was 
coming  in  his  place. 

The  following  resolutions  were  passed : 

Whereas,  The  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  has,  as 
usual,  liberally  helped  our  Swedish  churches  in  supporting  their  pastors, 
therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  the  Conference  expresses  its  sincere  thanks  to  the 
society  for  the  sympathy  shown  10  the  work  among  our  people ;  that 
to  all  our  churches  which  are  small  and  poor  may  be  reached,  in  the 
future,  a  helping  hand ;  and  that  we,  as  Swedish  churches,  may  come  in 
with  our  pro  rata,  which  is  one  dollar  per  capita. 

Whereas,  The  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  has  not  only 
supported  a  colporter  on  our  field,  but  has,  in  addition  to  that,  donated 
books  to  our  Sunday-school  libraries,  etc.,  be  it 

Resolved,  That  we  extend  our  hearty  thanks  to  that  society,  and 
recommend  to  our  churches  and  Sunday-schools  to  remember  it  in  their 
prayers,  and  in  as  good  collections  as  possible. 

Resolved,  That  we.  as  a  Swedish  Conference,  extend  our  hearty 
thanks  for  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union's  zealous  and  grand 
efforts  to  send  the  gospel  to  all  nations,  and  that  we  recommend  to  our 
churches  to  give  freely  and  abundantly  to  this  blessed  mission. 

Resolved,  That  we  extend  thanks  to  the  Women's  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society  for  the  good  work  the  society  is  doing  among  our 
Swedish  people,  and  appreciate  with  confidence  and  sympathy  the  work 
done  by  our  sister,  Miss  Mathilde  Malmberg,  hoping  to  have  the  privilege 
of  her  work  the  coming  year.  We  recommend  the  Women's  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society  to  be  remembered  in  our  churches. 

Signed : 

O.  J.  Johnson, 
Andrew    Johnson, 
A.  G.  Hall. 

The  Norwegian-Danish  Conference  was  organized  in  1895,  with 
four  churches  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-two  members,  under  the 
care  of  two  pastors,  who  had  administered  baptism  that  year  to  fort)'- 
eight  persons. 

In  October,  1895,  the  Convention  Board  reports: 

The  Swedish  Conference  now  numbers  eight  churches  and  three  hun- 
dred and   thirteen   members.     During  the   year  three  missionary  pastors 


340       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

have  been  aided  at  an  expenditure  of  $1,150.  The  Norwegian-Danish 
Conference  numbers  four  churches,  with  one  hundred  and  eighty-two 
members,  and  two  missionaries  have  been  supported  with  an  appropri- 
ation of  $800.  This  makes  a  total  appropriation  of  $1,950  to  the  Scandi- 
navian work,  or  at  the  rate  of  four  dollars  per  member.  No  part  of  our 
work  has  brought  better  fruitage  than  we  find  among  the  missions  to 
this  people.  This  also  is  a  very  important  part  of  our  missions,  for 
unquestionably  Washington  and  British  Columbia  represent  to  them 
more  nearly  the  surroundings  and  conditions  of  their  native  land  than 
any  other  State  in  our  country.  It  will  not  be  long  before  a  large  num- 
ber of  people  of  these  nationalities  will  be  settled  with  us.  The  greater 
portion  of  them  are  nominally  professors  of  religion,  but  know  little  of 
evangelical  Christianity.  We  are  laying  foundations  for  a  true  re- 
ligious development,  and  the  work  ought  to  be  very  much  enlarged,  but 
this  is  scarcely  practicable  with  the  means  at  our  disposal.  .  .  Our  sisters 
continue  loyal  to  the  Convention  in  trying  to  support  the  Scandinavian 
work.  Owing  to  the  financial  stringency  of  the  times  they  have  not  been 
able  to  raise  as  much  as  usual  for  the  work.  The  Convention  part  for 
this  work  was  %373.75.  The  total  amount  of  contributions  from  twenty- 
eight  circles  is  $289.80,  which  is  $101  less  than  last  year.  Mrs.  S.  W. 
Beaven  continues  as  vice-president.  Miss  Fannie  Allen  has  retired  from 
most  of  her  work  as  general  missionary  for  the  State.  Miss  Malmberg 
has  spent  some  time  on  the  field,  and  Miss  Miller  has  made  a  tour  of 
the  churches  in  the  interest  of  the  work. 

On  June  4-7,  1896,  the  Norwegian-Danish  Baptist  Conference  of 
Washington  held  its  first  annual  meeting  v^^ith  the  Scandinavian 
church  at  Tacoma.  This  conference  consisted  of  four  churches,  with 
about  one  hundred  and  ninety  members;  and  its  object  is,  through 
united  efforts,  to  spread  the  gospel  among  the  Norwegians  and 
Danes,  who  are  so  numerous  on  this  coast.  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper,  the 
general  missionary,  gave  an  address  on  the  work  of  the  State  Con- 
vention in  co-operation  with  the  Home  Mission  Society,  and  made  an 
earnest  appeal  to  all  present  to  remember  the  State  Convention  in  this 
trying  time.  Rev.  J.  A.  Johnson,  of  Tacoma,  spoke  on  the  Missionary 
Union  and  its  grand  work  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  showing  by 
the  year's  statistics  that  the  money  paid  to  the  Missionary  Union  had 
brought  greater  results  in  the  salvation  of  souls  than  could  be  shown 
by  any  other  denomination  in  the  field.  Colporter  G.  Berg  spoke  on 
the  Publication  Society  and  its  great  work  among  the  Scandinavians. 
All  these  speeches  were  full  of  sincerity  and  fire,  and  all  present  felt 
the  privilege  of  being  in  the  Master's  service  and  a  great  responsi- 
bility for  the  advancement  of  his  kingdom.  Resolutions  were  adopted 
expressing  sympathy  and  gratitude  for  the  work  of  each  of  these 
societies. 

In  October,  1896,  the  report  of  the  Convention  Board  says : 

The  Swedish  Conference  of  eight  churches  and  three  hundred 
and  thirty-eight  members,  with  four  pastors,  needs  reenforcing  by  the 
addition  of  one  pastor  for  the  Skagit  and  Cedar  Home  churches.  The 
four  Norwegian-Danish  churches,  with  one  hundred  and  eighty-nine 
members  and  only  two  pastors,  need  the  addition  of  one  more  missionary 
worker. 


SWEDISH    CONFERENCE  34I 

June  3-6,  1897,  the  Swedish  Conference  was  held  in  Skagit  City, 
Wash.  Two  of  the  churches  were  represented  by  letter  only,  and 
the  rest  by  delegates.  Rev.  F.  O.  Lonn,  F.  R.  Goranson,  V.  J.  John- 
son, and  A.  Johnson  were  present;  but,  owing  to  family  circumstances, 
Pastors  Swartz  and  Nelson  could  not  come.  Pastor  Weir,  from 
Everett,  gave  a  very  acceptable  address  on  "  Systematic  Giving," 
Rev.  J.  Sunderland  gave  a  glowing  speech  on  "  Foreign  Missions," 
and  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper  preached  a  very  good  sermon  on  "  The 
Church  of  Christ." 

The  church  letters  and  statistics  showed  that  the  work  had  been 
going  on  in  peace  and  harmony  as  a  whole,  but  the  membership  had 
decreased  from  three  hundred  and  forty-one  to  three  hundred  and 
sixteen.  To  home  missions  the  churches  contributed  $245.76;  to 
foreign  missions,  $140.21 ;  to  pastors'  salaries  and  incidental  ex- 
penses, $1,707.12;  and  the  total  expenses  are  $2,915.12.  Four  churches 
had  their  own  meeting-houses,  valued  at  $6,200,  with  a  debt  of  $350. 
One  new  church  had  been  organized  at  West  Ferndale,  Wash.,  with 
fourteen  members.  There  were  nine  churches  belonging  to  the 
Conference,  and  eleven  Swedish  churches  in  the  State. 

Besides  the  usual  resolutions,  the  following  was  adopted: 

Where.\s,  We  have  been  informed  that  our  State  missionary,  Rev.  D. 
D.  Proper,  will  close  his  labors  in  the  State  in  the  near  future;  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  we  express  our  sincere  gratitude  to  Brother  Proper 
for  the  kind  and  thoughtful  interest  he  has  shown  for  the  churches 
and  mission  work  of  Swedish  Baptists. 

We  regret  very  much  to  see  him  leave,  and  shall  pray  for  the 
Lord's  richest  blessing  upon  his  work  in  his  new  field  of  labor. 

In  October,  1897,  the  Norwegian-Danish  Conference  had  still 
four  churches  and  two  pastors.  The  total  membership  was  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy-seven,  with  nine  baptisms,  six  other  additions,  and 
twenty-seven  diminutions. 

June  23-26,  1898,  seventeen  delegates  represented  the  nine 
churches  of  the  Swedish  Conference  in  its  annual  meeting  at  New 
Whatcom.  Five  preachers  were  present  and  some  visitors.  Rev. 
W.  E.  Randall  spoke  of  the  need  of  gospel  preaching  and  labor  on 
the  Convention  field.  The  moderator  was  Rev.  N.  Hayland,  of  Ta- 
coma ;  the  vice-moderator.  Rev.  A.  Swartz ;  the  secretary,  A.  John- 
son; vice-secretary.  Rev.  C.  J.  Granquist;  treasurer,  Bro.  C.  J.  Erik- 
son,  of  Seattle. 

In  June,  also,  was  held  the  Norwegian-Danish  Conference  with 
the  Rolling  Bay  Church  on  Bainbridge  Island,  where  a  new  house 
of  worship  was  dedicated  on  Sunday.  June  12,  1898,  free  of  debt, 
with  sermons  by  Brothers  Johnson  and  Randall. 

In  October,  1898,  the  churches  of  the  Swedish  Conference  are 
reported  as  having  three  hundred  and  forty-one  members,  and  the 
Norwegian-Danish  as  still  having  one  hundred  and  seventy-seven. 


342       BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

June  8-1 1,  1899,  the  Swedish  Baptist  Conference  of  Western 
Washington  was  held  at  Seattle.  Rev.  Andrew  Johnson,  of  Skagit, 
was  elected  chairman ;  Rev.  N.  Hayland,  of  Tacoma,  vice-chairman ; 
Rev.  L.  W.  Linder,  of  Seattle,  corresponding  secretary;  Bro.  P.  Ben- 
son, of  Seattle,  vice-secretary;  Brother  A.  Lovegren,  of  Preston, 
treasurer. 

The  number  of  members  in  the  churches  was  three  hundred 
and  fifty-six.  The  total  amount  of  money  raised  for  all  purposes  was 
$5,186.50.  The  nine  churches  had  been  ministered  to  by  five  pastors, 
but  since  the  Convention  had  withdrawn  aid  from  the  church  at 
Ballard,  Rev.  F.  O.  Lonn  had  found  it  necessary  to  resign,  leaving 
only  four  pastors.  -  There  were  nine  Sunday-schools  in  the  Confer- 
ence, with  an  enrolment  of  three  hundred  and  eighteen  pupils  and 
sixty-eight  teachers,  and  they  had  raised  $315.14  for  the  year. 

Besides  sermons  by  the  Swedish  brethren  present,  the  Confer- 
ence listened  to  inspiring  addresses  by  Rev.  W.  E.  Randall,  Colporter 
Hause,  and  Rev.  A.  W.  Rider,  of  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 

June  15-19,  1899,  the  Norwegian-Danish  Conference  was  held  with 
the  Scandinavian  church  of  Tacoma.  Rev.  O.  C.  Hoien,  of  Ballard, 
preached  the  annual  sermon  from  John  4 :  35,  36.  Rev.  W.  E. 
Randall,  the  general  missionary,  gave  a  stirring  address,  and  resolu- 
tions of  sympathy  and  gratitude  were  adopted  for  the  Home  Mis- 
sion Society,  the  Convention  and  the  general  missionary,  and  the 
Missionary  Union. 

In  October,  1899,  the  Convention  Board  reported  under  Swedish 
work : 

Co-operation  with  our  Swedish  brethren  in  sustaining  a  general 
worker  upon  the  Convention  field  was  inaugurated  August  i,  by  the 
coming  of  Rev.  N.  J.  Thornquist.  This  brother  is  well  adapted  to 
the  lines  of  service  indicated,  and  the  outlook  is  promising.  Swedish 
work  is  represented  in  nine  churches  and  several  outstations.  Eight  are 
mission  churches,  the  Seattle  church  being  self-sustaining.  A  feature  of 
the  work  consists  of  large  contributons-  of  money  for  local  church  enter- 
prises and  mission  work.  There  is  earnest  purpose  to  press  the  work 
of  evangelization  and   soul-winning. 

Under  Norwegian-Danish  work  we  find : 

There  are  twelve  thousand  persons  of  the  two  nationalities  in  Seattle 
and  Tacoma,  and  about  an  equal  number  in  the  smaller  places  and  rural 
regions  of  western  Washington.  For  this  element  of  our  population  we 
have  but  four  churches,  with  a  total  membership  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty-two,  and  only  two  missionary  pastors.  The  appointment  of  a 
general  worker  would  be  a  practical  evangelization  movement.  Our 
brethren  are  prepared  to  give  heroically  to  consummate  this  plan,  notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  their  churches  are  carrying  burdensome  debts. 
They  never  fall  behind  in  offerings  to  the  Lord's  work. 

June  14-17,  1900,  the  Swedish  Conference  w^as  held  at  Tacoma. 
with  the  largest  delegation  in  its  history,  and  the  meetings  v.'ere  very 


SWEDISH    CONFERENCE  343 

spiritual.  The  reports  from  the  churches  were  encouraging.  By 
the  addition  of  a  church  at  Preston  there  were  now  ten  churches  in 
the  Conference,  with  seven  pastors ;  there  were  one  hundred  and  ten 
additions  to  the  membership  and  fifty-one  diminutions,  leaving  four 
hundred  and  seventeen  members;  the  total  amount  raised  was 
$6,351.18;  there  were  twelve  Sunday-schools,  having  fifty-five  teach- 
ers and  four  hundred  and  forty  pupils. 

Rev.  August  Olson  was  called  from  Iowa  to  take  the  place  of 
the  Swedish  general  missionary,  Rev.  N.  J.  Thornquist,  who  had 
accepted  a  call  to  the  Tacoma  Swedish  church. 

It  was  resolved  that  the  money  raised  for  foreign  missions  this 
year  should  be  used  for  the  missions  in  the  Philippines,  and  also 
that  more  interest  should  be  shown  in  the  Sunday-school  work  by 
holding  extra  sessions  to  consider  it,  and  that  the  sincere  thanks  of 
the  Conference  be  sent  to  the  Home  Mission  Society  and  the  Conven- 
tion, in  appreciation  of  their  liberal  help. 

Rev.  W.  E.  Randall,  the  general  missionary  of  the  Convention, 
and  Rev.  A.  N.  Hause,  the  Swedish  colporter,  gave  inspiring  ad- 
dresses. 

June  7-9,  1900,  the  fifth  annual  meeting  of  the  Norwegian- 
Danish  Conference  was  held  with  the  church  in  Seattle.  Pastor  E. 
S.  Sundt  gave  the  address  of  welcome,  which  was  responded  to  by 
Colporter  G.  P.  Berg,  of  Ballard.  Rev.  Jacob  Larsen,  of  Tacoma, 
preached  the  opening  sermon ;  and  Rev.  A.  W.  Rider  gave  an  earnest 
address  on  "  Foreign  Missions." 

Rev.  E.  S.  Sundt  was  elected  moderator;  Rev.  Jacob  Larsen, 
assistant  moderator;  Rev.  G.  P.  Berg,  secretary;  Rev.  O.  L.  Hoien, 
Portland,  assistant  secretary;  Christ.  Johnson  Ballard,  treasurer; 
Peter  Hanson,  Tacoma,  chairman  of  Mission  Board;  Rev.  E.  S. 
Sundt,  Seattle,  secretary  of  Mission  Board. 

The  work  of  the  Publication  Society  was  presented  by  Colporter 
Berg,  with  remarks  by  Colporter  Hause;  the  mission  work  of  the 
Convention  was  presented  by  Rev.  W.  E.  Randall,  the  general  mis- 
sionary. Sunday-school  work  and  Christian  literature  were  dis- 
cussed. Resolutions  were  adopted  expressive  of  sympathy,  gratitude, 
and  co-operation,  for  the  Northwest  Convention,  the  Home  Mission 
Society,  the  Missionary  Union,  and  the  general  missionary.  The 
Sunday  afternoon  session  was  in  charge  of  the  sisters. 

In  October,  1900,  the  Convention  statistics  report  the  Norwegian- 
Danish  Conference  as  having  four  churches,  two  pastors,  and  one 
hundred  and  sixty-four  members. 


THE  BAPTIST  JAPANESE  MISSION  IN 
SEATTLE 

Toward  the  close  of  the  year  1891,  after  a  series  of  revival 
meetings  had  been  held  in  the  First  Baptist  Church,  on  the  corner  of 
Fourth  and  James  Streets,  three  Japanese  young  men  made  known 
their  desire  for  instruction  in  the  English  language  and  the  Bible. 
By  the  help  of  the  pastor.  Rev.  G.  J.  Burchett,  and  Mr.  J.  W. 
Sherwood,  a  small  room  was  rented  downtown,  and  school  was  held 
there  under  volunteer  teachers  three  nights  a  week.  Beginning  with 
April,  1892,  one  night  a  week  was  given  to  Bible  study,  with  Mrs. 
L.  V.  Ward  as  the  teacher;  and  in  May  four  of  the  scholars  were 
converted  and  baptized,  the  first  Japanese  baptized  in  Seattle.  An 
afternoon  Bible-school  was  organized  in  the  summer  of  1894. 

The  three  Japanese  who  had  asked  for  instruction  all  became 
members  of  the  First  Church  of  Seattle,  Bro.  F.  Okazaki  by  let- 
ter from  the  First  Church  of  Denver.  Another  of  the  three,  Bro. 
C.  Y.  Akiyama,  writes  in  1893: 

Five  more  have  been  added  to  the  church,  and  more  are  coming 
soon.  Our  room  downtown  being  much  too  small  to  accommodate  the 
many  who  came  to  the  school,  other  rooms  were  secured  in  the  Holyoke 
Block ;  but  two  large  rooms  were  soon  found  too  small,  and  a  house  at 
number  515  James  Street  was  rented  in  September.  At  this  time  we 
held  prayer  meetings  every  night  in  the  week,  God  giving  us  strength.  In 
October,  three  brethren  gave  up  all  and  became  earnest  workers  among 
us.  Being  guided  by  the  Spirit,  we  went  from  house  to  house  and 
talked  personally  with  our  countrymen.  God  himself  is  sowing  seed 
among  us,  and  we  shall  have  a  great  harvest  in  due  season  if  we  con- 
tinue the  work.  A  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  was  organized 
about  this  time.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  P,  Ludlow  assisted  us  by  preaching, 
and  a  large  number  (over  thirty)  were  converted  and  baptized.  It  is 
now  our  wish  to  begin  work  outside  of  the  city,  where  no  Christian 
work  is  being  done.  We  are  all  praying  to  begin  very  soon,  and  trust 
the  Lord  will  open  the  way  for  us. 

When  in  March,  1893,  Mr.  J.  W.  Sherwood  removed  from  the 
city,  the  church  elected  Mr.  A.  E.  Sherwood  superintendent  of  the 
mission.  Again  the  rooms  proved  too  small  for  the  attendance  at 
the  school;  and  a  house  of  twenty-seven  rooms  was  secured  at  418 
Jefferson  Street.  Through  the  efforts  of  the  members  and  their 
friends  this  house  was  furnished  neatly  and  comfortably;  and  it  has 
been  a  home  to  the  many  Japanese  young  men  who  have  come  to 
Seattle  as  strangers  in  a  strange  land.  Many  have  here  first  heard 
of  Jesus  and  his  love,  and  have  accepted  him.  Thirteen  were  bap- 
tized in  1893,  and  three  received  by  letter. 

344 


THE    JAPANESE    MISSION    IN    SEATTLE  345 

In  January,  1894,  Mrs,  L.  V.  Ward  was  elected  superintendent 
in  place  of  Mr.  A.  E.  Sherwood,  resigned.  Except  for  one  month's 
vacation  of  the  afternoon  school  in  July,  school  was  kept  up  all  the 
year,  afternoons,  evenings,  and  Sundays. 

In  the  fall  of  1894  Bro.  F.  Okazaki  and  Bro.  C.  Y.  Akiyama, 
two  of  the  original  three  who  had  asked  for  instruction  in  1891, 
were  ordained  to  the  ministry,  after  passing  a  most  satisfactory  ex- 
amination by  a  council  called  for  the  purpose.  Both  wished  to  carry 
the  gospel  to  their  own  people  in  Japan,  and  Bro.  F.  Okazaki  sailed 
on  September  15,  within  two  weeks  of  his  ordination.  The  number 
baptized  in  1894  was  seventeen,  and  the  membership  was  thirty. 
The  average  attendance  at  the  school  for  the  year  was  fifteen  a 
day,  and  at  the  Sunday-school  eleven.  The  total  attendance  for 
the  year  was  two  thousand  nine  hundred. 

Mrs.  L.  V.  Ward,  from  whom  we  get  the  data  for  this  account, 
writes  as  follows  in  regard  to  "  one  of  the  young  men  who,  at  this 
time,  gave  himself  unreservedly  to  the  Master's  service " : 

Going  from  place  to  place,  led  of  the  Spirit,  he  faithfully  and 
unflinchingly  warned  the  wicked  and  encouraged  the  saints.  This  he 
did  for  over  three  years  without  remuneration,  always  suffering  with 
the  dread  disease,  consumption,  until  so  weak  he  was  no  longer  able  to 
preach.  Coming  from  Seattle  finally  and  consulting  a  physician,  he  was 
advised  to  go  to  California.  He,  however,  received  no  relief,  and  a  few 
months  later  was  sent  by  loving  friends  to  spend  his  last  days  among 
kindred  and  friends  in  his  own  beloved  land.  Surely  the  hosts  of  heaven 
could  but  rejoice  as  this  sweet  spirit  entered  the  pearly  gates  of  the  New 
Jerusalem. 

As  the  young  men  longed  to  carry  the  gospel  to  their  people  in 
the  country  places,  schools  were  established  and  religious  services 
held  at  Orillia,  Auburn,  Green  River,  O'Brien,  and  Port  Blakely, 
as  well  as  at  Tacoma  and  Vancouver,  B.  C. 

Bro.  D.  Nakayama,  who  was  chosen  as  secretary  after  Brother 
Akiyama  departed,  speaks  as  follows  of  his  conversion : 

I  often  wondered  why  I  came  to  America.  With  no  special  object 
in  view,  I  left  my  native  home  and  people,  and  wandered  restlessly  about 
from  place  to  place,  desiring  something,  I  knew  not  what.  I  finally  came 
to  Seattle  and  to  our  mission,  but  sought  the  company  of  those  who 
were  as  bad  or  even  worse  than  myself.  One  night,  when  I  came  home 
after  drinking  and  carousing  most  of  the  night,  a  dear  good  brother  came 
to  me  and  said :  "  Why  do  you  do  these  things  ?  You  know  they  are 
wrong.  You  ought  to  do  differently.  You  must  believe  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  to  be  saved  and  be  a  better  man."  I  thought  much  of  what 
he  said,  and  understood  as  never  before  how  great  a  sinner  I  was. 
I  humbly  cried  for  mercy  and  forgiveness,  and  He  who  died  to  save  me 
heard  my  prayer  and  washed  me  in  his  cleansing  blood.  Then  I  knew 
why  I  came  to  America,  and  gladly  gave  him  my  life  and  all  that  I  had. 

By  more  than  two  years  of  faithful,  earnest  work,  he  proved  to 
all  who  knew  him  his  devotion  to  Jesus.     He  would  go  forth  from 


346       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

day  to  day,  talking  earnestly  with  sinners,  whether  they  were  Jap- 
anese or  others,  and  would  often  bring  them  into  the  mission  to  talk 
and  pray  with  them;  and  God  blessed  his  work.  While  he  was 
secretary,  a  young  Japanese  woman  was  brought  to  the  mission  by  a 
man  who  had  deceived  her,  and  when  told  of  this  man's  intentions, 
was  persuaded  to  leave  him,  and  stayed  at  Mrs.  Ward's  house  for 
some  time.  This  dear  girl,  unable  to  speak  a  word  of  our  lan- 
guage, and  without  home  or  friends,  struggled,  as  have  many  others, 
with  the  problem  of  what  she  might  do.  Good  Brother  Nakayama 
came  to  her  many  times,  telling  her  that  Jesus  was  willing  and  able 
to  save  her.  When  she  had  gladly  accepted  the  truth,  she  followed 
her  Lord  in  baptism,  and  went  to  Japan  to  be  a  Bible-woman. 
There,  though  threatened  by  her  own  people,  she  remained  true  to 
Christ,  and  became  fully  persuaded  of  the  truth  and  power  of  the 
gospel.  Not  long  after  this  Brother  Nakayama,  being  fully  con- 
vinced that  God  had  called  him  to  work  in  his  own  country,  resigned 
and  went  to  Japan,  where  his  work  was  greatly  blessed  of  God,  and 
not  long  ago  he  organized  a  church. 

Their  secretary  being  gone,  the  work  was  carried  on  by  different 
members  of  their  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  though  there 
was  considerable  dissatisfaction  with  the  denominational  distinction ; 
but  after  Brother  Okazaki's  return  in  1897,  under  the  influence  of 
his  firm  and  kindly  Christian  spirit,  all  things  appeared  favorable  to 
the  organization  of  a  Baptist  church.  Five  Japanese  Baptists  who 
had  been  granted  letters  for  that  purpose  met  with  a  number  of 
friends  and  teachers  and,  after  prayer  by  Brother  Okazaki,  he  was 
chosen  moderator;  Mr.  H.  I.  Kudo,  secretary;  Mrs.  L.  V.  Ward, 
also  as  secretary,  to  report  in  English.  The  articles  of  faith  and  the 
covenant  of  a  Baptist  church  were  read  and  adopted.  The  deacons 
elected  were  H.  I.  Kudo  and  T.  Sakuri,  the  clerk  was  S.  Hoshide, 
and  the  treasurer  was  T.  Sakuri.  Members  were  added  to  the  church 
by  baptism  at  intervals. 

When  Brother  Okazaki  returned  to  Japan  again,  he  married 
a  consecrated  Christian  girl,  who  had  long  been  engaged  in  kinder- 
garten and  Christian  work.  During  his  absence  Brother  S.  Hara 
served  acceptably  as  pastor.  Brother  Okazaki  came  back  with  his 
wife,  hoping  to  do  a  greater  work  than  ever;  and  his  pastorate  ex- 
tends beyond  1901. 

The  following  further  description  of  the  Seattle  Japanese  work, 
clipped  from  a  newspaper  in  1898,  may  be  of  interest : 

The  work  early  took  the  form  of  a  branch  of  a  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association,  with  its  regular  officers  and  Board  of  managers,  though 
formerly  under  the  auspices  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  and  latterly  of 
the  Tabernacle  Church.  Mrs.  L.  V.  Ward  has  been  actively  associated 
with  the  work  from  the  beginning,  and  has  superintended  it  much  of  the 
time.  Her  husband.  Mr.  G.  W.  Ward,  has  for  several  years  been  an  ac- 
tive helper  nearly  every  evening.  While  nearly  all  the  Christian  mem- 
bers are  Baptists,  some  are  members  of  other  churches,  and  some  have  not 


THE    JAPANESE    MISSION    IN    SEATTLE  347 

yet  identified  themselves  with  any  church  organization.  The  six  teachers 
are  furnished  by  the  Tabernacle  Church. 

The  boys  have  very  pleasant  quarters  at  418  Jefferson  Street.  Here 
they  have  a  boarding  and  lodging-house  of  twenty-seven  rooms,  with  a 
well-supplied  reading  room,  in  which  are  found  papers  and  magazines, 
both  in  English  and  in  Japanese.  Strangers  are  taken  here,  cared  for, 
and  made  to  feel  at  home.  An  efficient  committee  meets  at  the  dock  every 
Oriental  steamship,  and  all  Japanese  landing  are  befriended  and  taken  to 
this  home  if  they  have  nowhere  else  to  go.  Services  are  also  held  on 
board  the  steamships  for  the  Japanese  sailors.  Tracts  are  distributed,  and 
good  advice  given.  Fully  seven  hundred  "  comfort  bags,"  containing 
needles,  thread,  buttons,  pin-cushions,  and  tracts  in  Japanese,  have 
been  furnished  by  this  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  and  the 
Tabernacle  Church  and  given  to  these  Japanese  sailors ;  one  hundred 
and  seventeen  of  these  were  given  out  on  one  boat  lately  in  port. 

School  sessions  for  the  study  of  English  and  of  the  Bible  are  held 
nearly  every  week-day  afternoon  and  evening,  with  an  average  attendance 
of  fifteen  boys.  Sunday-school  for  Bible  study  is  held  at  4  p.  m.,  while 
on  Sunday  evenings  there  is  a  regular  evangelistic  service,  to  which  the 
boys  have  personally  invited  their  fellow-countrymen.  Fully  thirty  Jap- 
anese have  united  with  the  First  and  the  Tabernacle  churches,  twenty- 
four  now  belonging  to  the  last-named  church.  All  the  financial  expenses 
of  the  home  and  the  schools  are  met  by  the  Japanese  boys,  so  that  this 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  is  self-supporting.  Two  Japanese  have 
gone  from  this  Association  to  preach  the  gospel  in  Japan.  One  is  assisted, 
and  the  other  supported  by  the  Tabernacle  Church. 

It  is  stated  that  in  1897  seven  went  out  from  this  mission  to 
preach  Christ.  One  was  at  Tacoma  with  a  class  of  twenty ;  one  at 
Vancouver,  B.  C,  with  a  school  of  nineteen ;  one  at  O'Brien's  with 
a  school  of  twenty-nine;  one  at  Auburn  with  a  school  of  eight;  one  at 
Port  Townsend,  making  occasional  visits  to  small  towns  near-by : 
one  at  Oakland,  Gal.,  assisting  the  Japanese  pastor;  and  Brother 
Sasan  had  gone  to  Japan  to  carry  the  gospel  to  his  people  there. 

In  1900  we  find  that  the  only  organized  Japanese  work  of  the 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  in  America  was  done  in  Seattle 
and  Tacoma.  At  this  time  there  were  about  one  thousand  Japanese 
in  Seattle  and  about  two  hundred  in  Tacoma.  Baptist  missions  had 
been  carried  on  among  them  for  ten  years,  and  a  Japanese  church 
had  been  organized  in  Seattle  three  years  before.  In  1900  this  church 
numbered  thirty  members,  had  a  Japanese  pastor,  and  property 
valued  at  $6,000,  upon  which  was  a  debt  of  $3,300.  Fully  one  hun- 
dred converts  had  been  gained  in  Seattle,  while  five  men  and  one 
woman  had  gone  to  Japan  as  missionaries. 


THE  BAPTIST  JAPANESE  MISSION  IN 
TACOMA 

Bro.  F.  Okazaki  came  from  Seattle  in  1894,  and  began  work 
among  these  Japanese  fellow-countrymen,  appealing  to  the  Bap- 
tists for  assistance;  but,  as  he  received  little  or  no  encouragement 
from  them,  he  returned  to  Seattle  somewhat  disheartened. 

When  Brother  Arnell,  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  had  thought 
the  matter  over,  however,  he  sent  for  Brother  Okazaki,  rallied  the 
Japanese,  and  interested  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  in  them. 
The  result  was  the  establishment  of  two  schools  for  the  Japanese, 
one  of  twenty-five  members,  the  other  of  twenty,  taught  by  thirty 
members  of  the  union,  ten  a  night  for  three  nights  in  the  week. 

The  school  soon  secured  commodious  quarters,  providing  a 
Christian  home  for  the  Japanese,  and  including  a  lodging-house  to 
which  they  are  taken  when  they  arrive  in  the  city  as  strangers,  often 
penniless  and  friendless.  Here  they  were  entertained  and  taught 
English  free  of  expense.  Invitation  cards  were  scattered  freely  in 
the  cities  of  this  coast,  and  farther  east,  and  even  published  in  the 
papers  in  Japan,  giving  the  address  of  this  Christian  home  and 
extending  hospitality. 

Some  twenty  conversions  among  the  Japanese  pupils  were  re- 
corded as  early  as  1895.  Eight  of  them  united  with  the  First  Church, 
and  four  were  doing  missionary  work  in  various  places. 

Several  Buddhist  Japanese  asked  to  be  taught  English  in  a 
separate  school  from  the  Christians,  and  without  religious  exer- 
cises. After  some  deliberation  the  request  was  granted,  and  a  school 
of  twenty  was  begun.  The  tuition  was  free,  since  the  Christian 
teachers  from  the  union,  some  of  them  excellent  teachers  in  the 
public  schools,  refused  the  proffered  pay;  and  the  pupils  pay  merely 
for  room  rent  and  current  expenses.  Within  two  weeks  after  the 
school  started,  five  of  the  pupils,  leading  business  men  in  the  city, 
asked  to  be  instructed  in  the  Bible. 

Brother  Arnell  was  the  efficient  and  trusted  superintendent  of  this 
Japanese  work  from  its  beginning  in  March,  1894.  But  we  have  no 
further  data. 


348 


WORK  AMONG  THE  CHINESE 


CHAPTER  I 

FOUNDATIONS  LAID 
1 842- 1 876 

British  guns.  Gold  fever.  China  coming.  First  missionary.  Tithing  gold. 
Home  Mission  Society's  first  efforts.  Plea  lor  the  Chinese.  Great  issues.  Missions 
affected.  Sliced  off.  Compromise.  War  of  purpose.  Civil  War.  Four  million 
legacy.  First  Chinese  class.  First  mission  in  San  Francisco.  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety, Sacramento.  Southern  Board.  First  Chinese  church.  One  hundred  and  fifty 
in  Sunday-school,  First  Church,  San  Francisco.  Twenty  thousand  dollars  for  a  mis- 
sion building.  Three  native  preachers.  Rev.  E.  Z.  Simmons,  D.  D.  Work  put  upon 
the  churches.     Under  the  Metropolitan  Church. 

In  1842  British  guns  opened  the  ports  of  Amoy,  Foochow, 
Shanghai,  and  Canton.  In  1849  go^d  was  discovered  in  California. 
In  1852  it  was  computed  that  twenty-two  thousand  Chinese  were 
in  the  land  of  gold.  In  November,  1848,  the  first  missionary  of  the 
Home  Mission  Society,  Rev.  C.  C.  Wheeler,  was  sent  around  Cape 
Horn  to  the  Pacific  Coast  to  tithe  the  gold  for  Christ  and  to 
establish  a  mission  in  San  Francisco.  In  1852  Dr.  Benjamin  M. 
Hill,  then  secretary  of  the  Home  Mission  Society,  opened  corre- 
spondence with  Doctor  Dean,  then  missionary  in  China,  to  secure  a 
native  Chinese  missionary  to  open  work  in  California.  In  1854, 
Doctor  Dean,  who  was  then  on  a  visit  to  this  country,  attended  the 
meeting  of  the  society  and  made  a  plea  for  the  immediate  establish- 
ment of  a  mission  to  the  Chinese  in  California. 

From  this  time  on  work  forced  itself  upon  the  society  to  such  an 
extent  that  the  Chinese  were  neglected,  if  not  forgotten.  Great  issues 
in  this  country  developed  and  affected  mission  work.  Kansas  and 
Nebraska  were  sliced  off  from  the  Louisiana  purchase.  The  com- 
promise of  1820,  prohibiting  slavery  in  this  territory,  was  declared 
void,  and  the  antagonism  of  freedom  with  slavery  was  developed. 
The  tide  of  emigration  from  the  Northern  States,  filled  with  the  pur- 
pose of  freedom,  and  from  the  Southern  States,  animated  by  the  pur- 
pose of  slavery,  for  this  territory,  met  herewith  a  new  and  terrible 
impetus.  Then  began  the  rapid  development  of  the  great  West,  cre- 
ating a  new  and  vast  field  for  the  Home  Mission  Society,  the  occu- 
pation of  which  taxed  its  every  resource. 

Then,  in  1862,  came  the  Civil  War,  paralyzing  everything  save 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  leaving  as  a  legacy  to  society  four  millions 
of  frcedmen  to  draw  upon  the  great  denominational  heart  and  purse 
and   challenge    every   effort   of   the    society    to   keep   pace    with    its 

349 


350       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

demands.  Thus,  the  needs  of  the  constantly  increasing  Asiatic  popu- 
lation were  again  lost  sight  of. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1868  Rev.  J.  B.  Thomas,  D.  D.,  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  of  San  Francisco,  writes  of  the  Chinese :  "  One 
of  our  sisters  begins  a  Chinese  class  in  our  Sunday-school  next 
Sabbath."  In  1869  the  Home  Mission  Society  took  up  the  work  in 
San  Francisco  and  appointed  Rev.  John  Francis  to  have  charge  of  it. 
He  began  work  in  April,  1870,  the  headquarters  of  the  mission  being 
established  in  the  First  Baptist  Church.  Six  Sabbath-schools  were 
gathered,  with  from  sixty  to  a  hundred  teachers  and  two  hundred  and 
fifty  pupils. 

In  1854,  however,  the  Southern  Board  began  work  among  the 
Chinese  in  Sacramento,  and  sent  Rev.  J.  L.  Shuck  to  take  charge  of 
it.  Doctor  Cheney,  a  member  of  the  committee  on  Chinese  Mis- 
sions, mentions  this  mission  in  the  report  of  1870.  Brother  Shuck 
became  pastor  of  the  First  Church  of  Sacramento  and  carried  on 
his  work  among  the  Chinese  with  great  success.  In  January,  i860, 
he  organized  a  church  of  nineteen  Chinese  members. 

The  report  of  1870  also  states  that  one  hundred  and  fifty 
Chinese  gathered  each  Sunday  in  the  Sunday-school  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  San  Francisco,  and  were  there  taught  by  the 
members,  and  that  steps  were  taken  to  secure  a  mission  building  in 
San  Francisco.  The  Convention  and  the  Home  Mission  Society  were 
memorialized  to  purchase  the  property  of  the  First  Church  on  Wash- 
ington Street,  San  Francisco,  located  in  the  very  heart  of  the 
Chinese  population;  and  the  statement  was  made  to  the  society 
that  a  thousand  Chinese  could  be  gathered  within  its  walls  every 
Sunday.  The  Board  of  the  society  voted  to  provide  $20,000  for 
this  purpose  if  the  balance  was  provided  in  California.  This  project 
fell  through,  however,  because  its  attorney  decided  that  it  was  not 
within  the  province  of  the  Board  to  use  the  society's  money  or 
pledge  its  credit  for  such  a  purpose. 

Subsequently,  Brother  Francis,  the  society's  missionary  to  the 
Chinese  in  San  Francisco,  bought  a  property  on  which  he  paid 
$2,000,  and  offered  it  to  the  society  on  condition  that  $3,500  was  se- 
cured by  special  gift.  While  this  was  pending,  came  the  financial 
crash  of  1873.  This,  with  the  death  of  Doctor  Taylor,  who  was 
in  charge  of  this  department  of  the  society's  work,  so  deranged  the 
plans  of  the  society  as  to  prevent  the  maturing  of  this  project,  and 
the  mission  continued  without  a  building  of  its  own,  though  other 
efforts  have  been  made  in  that  direction. 

In  1874  Brother  Francis  writes  to  the  society  that  there  were 
three  native  preachers  who  preached  to  thousands  of  Chinese  in  their 
own  tongue  every  Sunday.  In  1875,  however,  Brother  Francis  re- 
linquished the  work,  and  Rev.  E.  Z.  Simmons,  D.  D.,  a  returned 
missionary  from  Canton,  was  appointed  to  take  charge.  The  school 
was   moved   back   into   the   First   Baptist   Church,   and   efforts   were 


FOUNDATIONS    LAID  35 1 

renewed  to  purchase  the  building,  but  the  time  was  unfavorable  to 
the  success  of  the  movement.  By  the  report  of  1876,  it  was  the 
opinion  of  the  Board  that  the  responsibility  of  establishing  and  main- 
taining Chinese  mission  schools  should  be  left  to  the  English-speak- 
ing churches  in  the  places  where  such  schools  were  needed.  The 
same  year,  renewed  representations  were  made  by  pastors  on  the 
Pacific  Coast  to  the  Home  Mission  Society  to  establish  a  central 
mission  in  San  Francisco  at  a  high  cost;  but  the  society  finally  adopted 
the  plan  of  leaving  the  responsibility  for  the  Chinese  work  with 
the  local  churches. 

At  this  time  the  Chinese  mission  in  San  Francisco  passed  from 
the  supervision  of  the  First  Church,  and  for  two  years  was  under  the 
control  of  the  Metropolitan  Church,  in  co-operation  with  the  Home 
Mission  Society.  The  author  is  writing  from  a  personal  knowledge 
of  these  missions,  having  often  visited  them  after  March,  1875. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  PORTLAND  MISSION 
1876-1879 

Opposition.  Oakland  mission.  Portland  mission.  Aided  by  Home  Mission 
Society.  Agitation  increases.  Chinese  must  go.  Missions  suffer.  Dr.  J.  B.  Hartwell. 
Jubilee  meeting.  Doctor  Simmons  in  Portland.  Dong  Gong.  Author  visits  the  mission. 
Cost  a  struggle.  A  crusade.  Mayor  opposed.  Locked  up.  Miss  L.  A.  Mitchell. 
W.  M.  Dean.  Self-supporting.  Influential  Board.  Growth  of  baptisms.  One  hundred 
conversions.     Prosperous  mission. 

The  growing  opposition  to  the  Chinese  in  California  in  1877  and 
1878  caused  the  suspension  of  the  mission.  But  in  1879  the  work 
was  taken  up  again  by  the  society  in  co-operation  with  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  Oakland,  Rev.  B.  S.  MacLafferty,  pastor,  and 
had  a  continuous  existence. 

Meantime  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Portland,  Ore.,  had  in- 
vited Rev.  E.  Z.  Simmons,  D.  D.,  who  had  charge  of  the  work  in  San 
Francisco  in  1879  to  come  to  Portland  and  establish  a  Chinese  mis- 
sion in  co-operation  with  that  church,  which  he  did,  establishing  the 
mission  November  11,  1874.  This  mission  has  a  continuous  exist- 
ence, and  in  1879,  with  the  Oakland  mission  were  the  only  missions 
being  conducted  by  the  Baptists  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  both  being  sus- 
tained by  the  Home  Mission  Society.  The  Chinese  agitation  became 
more  and  more  intense  until  in  1880  the  tocsin  was  sounded  in  San 
Francisco,  "  The  Chinese  must  go."  It  was  taken  up  by  the  Sand- 
lot  politicians  of  San  Francisco,  and  its  author  elected  mayor  of 
the  city.  This  agitation  and  alarm  brought  to  the  front  a  dangerous 
political  element  and  almost  paralyzed  mission  work  among  the 
Chinese  on  the  coast.  Especially  was  this  the  case  in  California, 
where  the  anti-Chinese  sentiment  was  more  intense  and  threatening 
than  on  other  parts  of  the  Pacific  Coast.  The  author,  speaking  from 
personal  observation,  on  all  parts  of  the  coast  from  1875  onward, 
records  with  pleasurable  memory  that  the  large  proportion  of  the 
members  of  our  own  denomination  had  no  sympathy  with  the  bitter 
animosity  or  cruel  treatment  of  the  Chinese,  and  the  same  was 
true    of   other   denominations. 

A  conservative  course,  fair  treatment,  and  the  gospel  for  the 
Chinese  who  were  on  the  coast,  was  the  sentiment  largely  prevailing 
among  Christians.  Following  Doctor  Simmons,  Rev.  J.  B.  Hartwell, 
a  returned  missionary  from  China,  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Conven- 
tion, was  the  next  general  missionary  to  take  up  the  work  among 
the  Chinese  in  California,  which  he  carried  on  efficiently  for  several 
years  after  the  overwrought  anti-Chinese  feeling  somewhat  subsided. 
At  the  Jubilee  meeting  in  New  York  in  1882  the  Home  Mission  So- 

352 


THE    PORTLAND    MISSION  353 

ciety  reported  only  two  missions  under  its  care,  namely :  the  Oakland  - 
mission,  taken  up  in   1879,   and  the  Portland  mission,  taken  up  in 
1874,  the  first  Chinese  mission  established  north  of  California. 

Some  discussion  occurred  in  establishing  the  Portland  mission, 
but  when  it  was  fully  organized  and  at  work  it  rather  served  to 
unify  and  quicken  the  spiritual  conditions.  Coming  to  Portland, 
Doctor  Simmons  brought  with  him  a  converted  Chinaman  by  name 
of  Dong  Gong,  who  served  as  missionary.  A  thorough  canvass 
among  the  Chinese  population  brought  together  one  hundred  and  six 
to  open  the  mission,  which  seldom  fell  below  forty  in  attendance. 
The  author  visited  the  mission  and  addressed  the  scholars  (through 
the  interpreter)  on  his  first  visit  to  the  North  Pacific  Coast  in  1875, 
and  often  after  as  the  mission  grew.  It  was  from  the  first  one  of 
the  most  successful  Chinese  missions  on  the  Pacific  Coast;  but  like 
many  another  effort  to  give  the  gospel  to  the  perishing,  it  cost  a 
struggle  in  its  inception  of  historical  value. 

The  pastor,  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  calls  the  effort  a  crusade.  In  his 
memoirs  he  writes : 

The  crusade  had  cost  the  church  its  pastor,  Rev.  A.  R.  Medbury,  who 
had  thrown  himself  into  the  leadership  with  unstinted  zeal  and  had  finally 
found  himself  so  out  of  sympathy  with  the  more  wealthy  part  of  the 
church  that  he  felt  compelled  to  resign.  Two  of  the  deacons  were  fa- 
vorable to  the  crusade.  The  wife  of  one  was  president  of  the  mission, 
and  his  daughter  one  of  the  chief  workers  and  leading  singer.  The  son 
of  the  other  deacon  was  mayor,  and  his  police  force  locked  the  crusaders 
up,  but  released  them  at  2  o'clock  at  night.  When  it  had  been  decided  to 
start  the  mission,  the  young  lady  before  so  active,  Miss  L.  A.  Mitchell, 
offered  to  give  her  time  to  the  mission  if  she  could  be  boarded  down- 
town. The  pastor  offered  her  board  at  his  house  (the  parsonage)  free, 
which  was  accepted,  and  Bro.  W.  M.  Dean  became  manager.  The  mayor, 
being  interviewed,  asked  if  they  had  workers,  and  being  informed  that 
they  had,  opened  a  subscription  of  $10  per  month  and  gave  the  pastor 
letters  which  materially  aided  him  in  obtaining  others,  so  that  in  one 
year  over  $1,100  was  raised,  and  the  year  closed  with  a  balance  in  the 
treasury  of  $800.  It  was  intended  at  first  to  raise  about  one-half 
needed  and  ask  the  Home  Mission  Society  to  pay  the  other  half,  but  by 
request  of  the  leading  donors  it  was  made  self-sustaining  from  the  be- 
ginning. A  Board  of  Directors  was  chosen,  consisting  of  Hon.  J.  N. 
Dolph,  Dea.  Josiah  Failing,  and  Dea.  D.  W.  Williams,  representing  the 
Baptist  church ;  Hon.  H.  W.  Corbett,  a  Presbyterian,  and  Gen.  O.  O.  How- 
ard, of  the  United  States  Army,  a  Congregationalist.  (Among  the  influ- 
ential men  of  the  city.  Author.)  At  the  expiration  of  six  months  ten 
promising  Chinese  were  converted  and  received  for  baptism  with  some 
opposition,  and  during  the  year  seventeen  in  all  were  baptized,  and  the 
Chinese  school  became  a  popular  place  to  work,  and  buried  out  of  sight 
all  prejudice. 

Writing  in  1879  he  says :  "  About  one  hundred  Chinese  have  been 
received  and  baptized,  and  a  Presbyterian  paper  calls  it  the  most 
prosperous  Chinese  mission  on  the  Pacific  Coast;  twenty-seven  were 
baptized  during  my  two  years'  pastorate." 


CHAPTER  III 

HOME  MISSION  SOCIETY  TAKES  UP  CHINESE  WORK 

1879-1881 

Kidnaping.  Would-be  assassins.  Church  organized.  Mission  at  Amity.  Or- 
dained. Sent  to  Pugent  Sound.  Mission  at  Olyrapia.  Initial  work  at  Seattle.  Chapel 
built.     Ordination.     Charge  given. 

The  Home  Mission  Society  took  up  this  mission  in  April,  1878.. 
with  Rev.  Dong  Gong  as  missionary  for  Oregon  and  Washington, 
who  continued  such  for  two  years  and  a  half.  In  April,  1881,  Rev. 
Fung  Chak  was  missionary  pastor  of  the  Chinese  mission  in  Portland. 

It  must  not  be  considered  that  opposition  to  the  Chinese  among 
Americans  was  all  that  these  early  missions  had  to  encounter,  as 
the  following,  clipped  from  the  Portland  Oregonian,  May  i,  1878, 
will  show: 

WOULD-BE    ASSASSINS 

While  the  Rev.  Dong  Gong  was  passing  along  Fifteenth  Street  be- 
tween D  and  E  yesterday  afternoon  about  half-past  2  o'clock,  he  was 
suddenly  set  upon  by  four  Chinamen,  who  evidently  meant  to  do  him 
serious  bodih-  harm,  or,  perhaps,  take  his  life.  Notwithstanding  there 
were  four  to  one,  and  Dong  Gong  is  a  small  man,  he  contrived,  by  his 
pluck  and  activity,  to  stand  his  assailants  off.  He  beat  as  hasty  a  retreat 
as  possible  down  E  Street,  keeping  his  belligerent  countrymen  at  bay. 
Fearing  that  they  would  be  detected  and  apprehended,  i:he  assailants  gave 
the  job  up.  took  to  their  heels,  and  left  Dong  Gong  master  of  the  field. 
Two  of  the  Chinamen  ran  down  E  Street,  and  two  started  over  toward 
the  Tannor  Creek  gulch.  Dong  Gong  was  allowed  to  proceed  on  his 
way  without  further  molestation.  He  escaped  without  the  least  injury, 
which  was  due  to  his  spirited  resistance  and  the  cowardice  of  his 
countrymen.  The  assailants  are  known  to  belong  to  the  Moy  Luke 
faction,  and  hence  their  hatred  of  Dong  Gong.  During  the  recent  trial 
of  the  kidnapers,  Dong  Gong  was  employed  as  interpreter,  and  the 
Chinese  knowing  that  he  had  embraced  Christianity  and  consequently 
was  opposed  to  the  system  of  slavery  practised  toward  the  women, 
readily  supposed  that  he  was  the  prime  instigator  of  the  prosecution. 

Had  a  favorable  opportunity  presented,  these  fellows  would  not 
have  hesitated  to  take  the  life  of  the  man  they  so  deeply  hate. 

The  kidnaping  referred  to  was  that  of  a  Chinese  girl  who 
was  converted  and  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  Baptist 
church  of  Portland.  Soon  after  she  was  kidnapped,  Rev.  Dong  Gong 
was  largely  instrumental  in  her  recovery  and  restoration  to  her  law- 
ful husband. 

Meantime  a  Chinese  church  had  been  organized  and  was  holding 
regular  services,  administering  the  ordinance  and  performing  other 
necessary  church  services.  But  it  was  still  regarded  as  the  mission 
of  the  First  Church  and  under  its  fostering  guidance. 

354 


HOME    MISSION    SOCIETY    TAKES    UP    CHINESE    WORK     355 

Dong  Gong  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry, 
June  22,  1875.  The  author  being  present  had  part  in  the  service.  He 
served  the  Portland  mission  for  a  period  of  three  years  and  a  half, 
the  First  Church  paying  his  full  salary  of  $480  per  year. 

The  Portland  Chinese  Mission  has  not  only  had  a  continuous 
existence,  but  is  probably  one  of  the  most  prosperous  Chinese  mis- 
sions on  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  is  in  a  flourishing  condition  when 
this  volume  closes  in  1900. 

In  1875,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  R.  Russ,  a  Chinese  class  was 
organized  at  Amity,  Ore.,  which  continued  work  for  two  years, 
but  was  finally  abandoned  by  the  removal  of  the  Chinese  to  other 
points.     Much  good  work  was  done  in  this  mission. 

In  the  spring  of  1876  Rev.  Dong  Gong  was  sent  on  a  mission  to 
Puget  Sound  by  the  church  at  Portland,  which,  in  1862,  had  sent 
Rev.  R.  Weston  to  Puget  Sound  on  a  similar  mission  among  Ameri- 
cans, and  in  the  early  seventies  had  helped  Rev.  J.  Wichser,  who 
afterward  reorganized  the  Puyallup  church  and  built  their  first  chapel. 
On  the  return  of  Dong  Gong  he  reported  a  mission  school  started  at 
Olympia,  and  one  soon  to  be  started  at  Seattle.  The  growth  of  the 
mission  in  Portland  was  such  that  the  church  erected  a  chapel  for  the 
exclusive  use  of  the  mission,  costing  $1,200,  which  was  dedicated  in 
September,  1879. 

Rev.  Dong  Gong  continued  his  service  of  the  mission  until  1878, 
when  he  resigned  to  return  to  China.  H*e  was  succeeded  in  the  mis- 
sion by  Bro.  Fung  Chak,  who  had  long  service  in  Canton,  China, 
as  teacher  and  missionary.  He  came  to  this  country  in  1879  and 
became  attached  to  the  Portland  mission  in  the  fall  of  that  year.  In 
June,  1881,  he  was  ordained  by  a  council,  in  which  Revs.  J.  C.  Baker, 
A.  J.  Hunsaker,  J.  A.  Gray,  J.  H.  Teale,  and  Prof.  M.  Bailey  took 
part.    In  delivering  the  charge  to  the  people,  Brother  Baker  said : 

1.  I  charge  that  you  receive  him  as  a  Christian  minister. 

2.  That  you   treat   him   as   a   Christian   brother. 

3.  That  you  aid  him  as  a   Christian  worker. 

4.  That  you  sympathize  with  him  in  his  specific  calling,  namely,  the 
giving  of  the  gospel  to  his  countrymen. 

This  man  was  mighty  in  the  Scriptures,  and  proved  a  useful 
addition  to  the  workers  among  Chinese  on  the  North  Coast. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  SALEM  AND  ALBANY  MISSIONS 
1877-1879 

Organization.  Managers.  Second  in  importance.  Converts  influential  men.  Two 
in  New  York  City.  Ordinations.  Marvel  in  Bible  study.  Albany  mission.  Full 
account.     Mattoon's  "  Baptist  Annals  of  Oregon,"  Vol.  I. 

In  the  fall  of  1877  ^^^  question  of  a  Chinese  mission  was  taken 
up  in  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Salem,  Ore.,  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker, 
pastor,  which  resulted  in  the  organization  of  a  Chinese  mission,  with 
Mrs.  J.  C.  Baker,  Mrs,  A.  W.  Kinney,  Miss  Rose  Townsend,  J.  W. 
Morrill,  and  A.  T.  Yeaton  as  a  Board  of  managers.  Mrs.  A.  W. 
Kinney  was  president,  Mrs.  J.  C.  Baker,  vice-president,  and  Miss 
Rose  Townsend,  secretary. 

Converts  began  to  multiply  in  the  spring  of  1878.  Compared  with 
Portland,  the  Chinese  population  was  small.  The  converts  were  re- 
ceived and  baptized,  becoming  members  of  the  First  Baptist  Church. 
A  good  class  of  members  was  reached.  One  became  a  prominent 
business  man  in  Salem,  where  he  conducted  a  mercantile  business  for 
years,  and  became  wealthy.  Another  became  foreman  over  workmen 
in  one  of  the  largest  salmon  canneries  on  the  Columbia  River,  lo- 
cated at  Astoria,  holding  his  position  for  years.  Two  others  went  to 
New  York  with  letters  from  the  mission.  The  pastor,  Rev.  J.  C. 
Baker,  met  them  in  1882  while  attending  the  Jubilee  meetings  in  New 
York.  One  of  them  was  connected  with  Doctor  MacArthur's  church, 
and  the  other  with  Doctor  Simmons'  church,  and  both  good  workers 
among  the  Chinese  in  that  metropolis,  and  were  highly  spoken  of  by 
their  pastors.  This  mission  was  always  supported  by  the  church,  and 
was  regarded  next  to  Portland  as  among  our  most  prosperous 
missions. 

The  ordination  of  Gwoon  Jeu,  who  was  employed  in  this  mission, 
occurred  at  Salem,  June  24,  1878.  The  church  called  a  council  con- 
sisting of  the  delegates  of  the  Willamette  Association,  holding  its 
annual  sessions  at  that  place.  He  was  not  very  familiar  with  the 
English  language,  and  questions  were  put  to  him  through  Mrs,  J.  C. 
Baker,  his  teacher,  who  also  aided  in  explaining  his  answers  when 
needed.  His  examination  was  most  satisfactory.  The  Scriptures  to 
him  were  real,  and  their  doctrines  as  clearly  apprehended  as  usually 
found  in  the  ministry.  A  favorite  expression  of  his  was,  "  And  Jesus 
said  in  his  doctrine,"  or,  "  This  is  Jesus  doctrine."  He  was  a  marvel 
in  Bible  study,  and  a  man  of  deep  piety  and  great  faith.  He  did  much 
mission  work  through  the  State  among  his  people. 

356 


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• 

THE    SALEM    AND    ALBANY    MISSIONS  357 

Albany  Mission 

This  was  taken  up  under  the  auspices  of  the  church  of  Albany, 
Rev.  J.  W.  Crawford,  A.  M.,  pastor,  in  1879,  with  Mrs.  A.  W.  Craw- 
ford in  charge,  where  a  good  work  was  done.  Rev.  C.  H.  Mattoon, 
in  his  "  Baptist  Annals  of  Oregon,"  Vol.  I,  gives  an  elaborate  account 
of  all  these  Oregon  missions,  full  of  information  and  deeply  inter- 
esting to  all  who  wish  to  know  the  full  history  of  those  times  on 
this  important  subject  of  which  this  summary  is  given,  leading  up  to 
the  work  in  western  Washington,  and  British  Columbia  Convention 
taken  up  at  a  later  period,  delivered  over  to  us  when  official  connec- 
tion with  other  bodies  ceased. 


CHAPTER  V 
ANTI-CHINESE  FEELING 

Growth  difficult  to  control.  Outbreak.  Rock  Springs.  Sauk  V'alley.  Tacoma. 
Seattle.  Anti-Congress.  Expulsion.  Go\%rnment  in  control.  Shipped  off.  Shot 
down. 

While  the  anti-Chinese  feehng  on  the  coast  was  being  to  an 
extent  controlled  by  the  State  and  general  government  in  the  large 
cities  where  the  Chinese  population  centered,  yet  the  fester  grew  more 
fetid,  and  often  came  to  the  surface  of  the  body  politic  and  social, 
with  all  the  vituperation,  cruelty,  and  crime  attending  it  in  the 
densely  populated  districts  where  Chinese  were  gathered  in  large 
numbers.  This  was  the  case  at  Rock  Springs,  Wyo.,  where  in  1885 
almost  unheard-of  cruelties  were  perpetrated  upon  the  Chinese.  In 
Sauk  Valley,  King  County,  Wash.,  in  1885,  a  gang  of  Chinese  work- 
ing on  the  railroad  was  driven  out  and  murdered.  At  Tacoma,  they 
were  expelled  from  the  city,  many  of  them  driven  away  from  busi- 
ness, homes,  employment,  and  some  cruelly  treated. 

Such  was  the  extent  of  this  feeling  in  western  Washington 
against  the  Chinese  that  an  Anti-Chinese  Congress  was  called  to  meet 
in  Seattle  in  September,  1885,  to  consider  the  question  of  their  ex- 
pulsion. This  body  issued  an  edict  that  all  Chinese  in  western  Wash- 
ington must  leave  by  November  i.  But  few  of  the  Chinese  left,  and 
this  tension  became  so  great  that  ten  companies  of  United  States 
troops  were  sent  to  Seattle  and  quartered  there  to  protect  the  Chinese. 
This  had  the  effect  of  restraining  any  compulsory  action.  But 
when  the  troops  were  withdrawn  early  in  1886  the  feeling  broke  out 
again,  the  more  violently  because  of  its  compelled  suppression,  and  the 
scenes  that  followed  were  simply  barbarous.  That  any  Christian  peo- 
ple participated  in  the  violence  cannot  be  tolerated  even  in  imagi- 
nation. 

On  the  evening  of  February  6,  1886,  a  mass  meeting  was  held 
in  the  city  at  which  a  committee  of  fifteen  was  appointed  to  drive  the 
Chinese  out  of  the  city.  They  were  to  compel  them  to  take  passage 
on  the  outgoing  steamer  for  San  Francisco.  In  the  early  morning 
of  the  seventh  of  February,  1886,  this  committee  began  operations. 
With  the  assistance  of  the  police  the  Chinese  were  compelled  to  pack 
up  their  baggage  and  go  to  the  dock,  where  a  steamer  was  ready  to 
sail  for  San  Francisco.  Mr.  Yesler,  who  was  mayor  at  the  time,  ap- 
pealed to  Governor  Squire,  who  issued  a  proclamation,  but  it  was  in- 
effective until  the  militia  were  called  out  and  made  habeas  corpus 
proceedings  possible,  and  the  driving  stopped.  Too  frightened  to  re- 
main in  the  city,  the  Chinese  were  told  that  all  who  wanted  to  go 


ANTI-CHINESE    FEELING  359 

would  have  their  fare  paid  to  San  Francisco.  Such  were  escorted  to 
the  steamer  by  the  miHtia,  and  one  hundred  and  ninety-seven  took  pas- 
sage, being  the  limit  of  the  steamer's  capacity.  The  others  were  being 
escorted  back  to  Chinatown  by  the  militia  when  they  were  attacked 
by  a  mob  at  the  junction  of  Main  Street  and  First  Avenue  South. 
After  a  brief  encounter  it  became  evident  that  the  mob  could  not  be 
dispersed,  and  the  order  was  given  to  fire,  and  four  men  went 
down  under  the  order.  The  mob  was  greatly  incensed,  but  the  gov- 
ernor declared  martial  law,  and  ordered  all  citizens  to  their  homes, 
which  had  a  salutary  effect,  but  did  not  restore  order  and  confidence, 
so  that  on  February  lo  government  troops  under  General  Gibbon 
arrived  and  remained  until  the  feeling  had  died  out. 

But  on  February  14  another  shipment  of  one  hundred  and  ten 
Chinese  left  for  San  Francisco;  many  others  went  away  privately. 
Great  loss  was  sustained  in  the  sudden  breaking  up  of  their  homes, 
having  their  business  unsettled,  and  their  stocks  in  trade  handled  at 
great  sacrifice  or  entire  loss.  It  should  be  recorded  of  the  resident 
citizens  of  Seattle  that  they  did  not  enter  into  sympathy  with  these 
violent  measures  against  the  Chinese,  nor  largely  into  sympathy  with 
the  anti-Chinese  feeling.  They  were  loyal  to  treaty  stipulations,  and 
largely  so  to  the  common  brotherhood  of  humanity.  But  the  city  was 
being  filled  by  an  undesirable  floating  population,  passing  and  repas- 
sing to  and  from  the  mines  and  lumber  camps,  wintering  in  the  city, 
which  kept  an  open  door  to  harbor  and  provide  for  the  lusts  of  a 
class  of  people  neither  productive  nor  promotive  of  its  highest 
interests,  and  who  were  always  ready  to  attach  themselves  to  any  mob 
or  political  faction  whenever  pitted  against  civic  righteousness  or  the 
purity  of  home  and  moral  character.  Such  was  a  large  element 
fostering  the  spirit  which  possessed  the  mob  we  have  been  describing. 
That  it  influenced  the  missions  among  the  Chinese  on  the  territory 
affected  by  these  disgraceful  scenes  cannot  be  questioned.  It  did  not 
affect  so  much  those  who  were  endeavoring  to  Christianize  them  as 
it  did  the  Chinese,  fear  preventing  them  from  attending  the  mis- 
sions. Take  our  own  missions  in  Tacoma  and  Seattle  as  example: 
the  work  was  just  entered  upon  when  it  was  delayed,  and  has  never 
reached  the  volume  of  interest  and  success  we  had  right  to  anticipate 
from  the  efforts  of  our  consecrated  people. 


CHAPTER  VI 

SEATTLE  CHINESE  MISSION 
1891 

Women's  Missionary  Union.  Chinese  mission  organized.  First  Church  in  charge. 
Forty-five  teachers.  T.  H.  Rubb,  Superintendent.  Taken  up  by  Home  Mission  So- 
ciety. W.  O.  Hardin,  Superintendent.  Mrs.  Anna  Webster,  Superintendent.  Miss 
Florence  Adams,  Superintendent.  Prayer  service.  Liberality.  Deadwood  mission. 
Tabernacle  mission.  Fung  Chak.  Graded  classes.  Chinese  woman  teaching.  Port 
Townsend  mission.     Victoria   mission. 

In  July,  1891,  there  was  organized  the  Woman's  Missionary  Union 
of  Seattle,  composed  of  women  of  the  various  Baptist  churches  of 
this  city  and  surrounding  districts.  This  organization  took  up  the 
Chinese  work  July  i,  1892,  when  a  school  was  organized  under  its 
auspices.  There  were  at  this  time  about  four  hundred  Chinese  in 
Seattle.  This  school  was  in  charge  of  T.  H.  Rubb,  a  member  of  the 
First  Church.  He  was  assisted  by  forty-five  teachers,  representing 
the  three  American  Baptist  churches  of  the  city.  These  teachers  took 
turns  in  attendance,  requiring  about  five  each  evening.  Thirty-seven 
scholars  were  enrolled.  The  school  was  held  four  evenings  in  the 
week,  with  a  Bible-school  on  Sunday  afternoons.  Also  a  Chinese 
boys'  and  girls'  school  on  Saturday  afternoons,  with  the  object  of 
reaching  the  Chinese  women.  The  school  was  held  in  one  of  the 
buildings  occupied  by  Wa  Chong,  an  educated  and  wealthy  resi- 
dent, who  was  a  warm  friend  and  patron  of  the  school.  Many  people 
became  interested  in  this  school,  notably  Judge  Greene  and  wife, 
Mrs.  Anna  Webster,  Deacon  Adams,  Miss  Florence  Adams,  and 
others. 

In  May,  1893,  the  school  was  adopted  by  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  which  took  entire  charge  of  it.  Up  to  July,  1896,  over  one 
hundred  Chinese  had  been  enrolled  in  this  school.  There  had  been  a 
number  of  conversions,  and  six  had  been  baptized,  joining  the  First 
Church.  In  1895  Bro.  W.  O.  Hardin  had  charge  of  the  school  for 
nine  months.  At  this  time  the  following  action  was  taken  by  the 
Convention  Board  as  reported  in  October: 

CHINESE  MISSION   SCHOOLS 

By  direction  of  the  Home  Mission  Society,  the  Board  has  been 
instructed  to  assume  the  supervision  of  the  Chinese  mission  schools  on 
this  field,  and  the  general  missionary  directed  to  give  to  this  work  his 
special  supervision  as  to  other  mission  work. 

The  school  at  Seattle  is  under  the  care  of  Mr.  W.  O.  Hardin  as 
superintendent.  He  reports  since  January,  for  nine  months :  Two  hours 
per  day  are  devoted  to  the  work ;  classes,  four ;  average  attendance,  twelve ; 
number  enrolled,  considered  members,  twentj'-eight ;  average  attendance  of 
volimteer  teachers,  three ;  average  attendance  at  Thursday  evening  prayer 

360 


SEATTLE   CHINESE    MISSION  36 1 

meeting,  fourteen  to  fifteen;  average  attendance  at  Sunday  evening  Bible 
study,  thirteen ;  addresses  delivered,  thirty-five ;  the  branches  taught  are 
reading,  spelling,  arithmetic,  singing,  and  instrumental  music. 

The  schools  were  to  be  sustained  by  special  appropriations  from 
the  Home  Mission  Society,  the  Seattle  school  to  receive  $100. 

Brother  Hardin  was  followed  later  by  Mrs.  Anna  Webster  as 
superintendent,  and  in  1896  Miss  Florence  Adams  was  in  charge  of 
the  school,  succeeding  Mrs.  Webster  as  superintendent.  In  the  earlier 
history  of  the  school  the  boys  were  invited  to  attend  prayer  meeting 
in  the  American  churches,  and  often  some  of  them  responded,  as  they 
had  no  school  on  Thursday  evening,  it  being  the  regular  prayer  meet- 
ing evening  of  the  American  churches.  But  now  they  have  their  own 
prayer  meeting  on  Thursday  evenings. 

The  liberality  of  these  people  is  characterized  by  unusual  gener- 
osity, as  is  the  case  with  most  of  the  foreign  population  who  are 
converted  after  coming  to  this  country.  In  this  case  they  gave 
$38  toward  the  First  Church  building  unsolicited;  a  like  sum  or  more 
to  the  Tabernacle  Church,  after  its  organization;  they  aided  the 
Chinese  church  in  San  Francisco;  they  contributed  also  to  home  and 
foreign  missions  as  opportunity  occurred.  Two  of  the  number  con- 
verted went  to  Deadwood,  S.  Dak.,  where  they  organized  a  Chinese 
school  of  over  forty  members,  which  was  the  first  work  of  the  kind 
among  the  Chinese  in  that  city. 

The  Tabernacle  Mission 

After  the  division  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  and  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Tabernacle  Church,  it  was  very  natural  to  organize  a 
Tabernacle  Chinese  Mission,  which  was  accomplished  October  26, 
1896,  with  Judge  Greene  as  director  and  Mrs.  Greene  as  secretary. 
Rev.  Fung  Chak,  who  had  been  so  successful  as  pastor  of  the 
Chinese  church  in  Portland,  and  in  missionary  work  among  his 
people  at  other  points  on  the  North  Coast,  became  superintendent  of 
this  school  in  its  early  work.  He  and  his  wife  became  members  of  the 
Tabernacle  Church.  Their  nine-year-old  daughter  and  eight  others 
were  baptized  and  became  members  of  the  church,  as  reported  in 
1898. 

There  was  also  reported  four  graded  classes  in  this  school,  the 
highest  class  using  fourth  and  fifth  readers.  Rev.  Fung  Chak  was 
highly  esteemed,  both  by  Chinese  and  Americans.  His  wife  too  was 
an  interesting  companion  in  this  work,  conducting  a  class  of  twelve 
or  more  women  and  children,  teaching  them  in  their  own  language 
with  the  intelligence  and  success  of  an  American  teacher.  The  boys 
of  the  school  pay  $150  toward  the  superintendent's  support. 

Port  Townsend  Mission 
A  mission  school  was  organized  at  Port  Townsend  in  1895,  with 
Miss  Lou  Baker  in  charge  of  the  school. 


362       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

She  reports  twelve  enrolled,  with  an  average  attendance  of  eight. 
Two  and  one-half  hours  of  service  on  week-days,  except  Thursdays  and 
Saturdays.  Branches  taught  were  reading,  spelling,  writing,  grammar, 
arithmetic,  and  a  short  Bible  study  at  the  close  of  each  session.  No 
Sunday  meetings.  It  is  expected  that  this  work  in  the  future  will  be 
combined  with  the  work  of  the  pastor  to  help  in  his  support.  This  work 
is  supported  by  special  appropriations  from  the  Home  Mission  Society 
of  $200  at  Port  Townsend,  and  is  outside  of  our  missionary  appropriations. 

Victoria  Mission,  B.  C. 

When  Rev.  J.  H.  Teale,  A.  M,,  was  pastor,  a  mission  was 
organized  in  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Victoria,  and  some  good 
work  done  among  the  Chinese,  which  was  not  so  difficult  of  accom- 
plishment in  the  Province  as  in  the  States.  There  never  existed  the 
intense  opposition  to  the  immigration  of  the  Chinese  into  British 
Columbia  that  existed  in  California,  Oregon,  and  Washington.  Our 
good  Baptist  people  in  the  Province  were  ever  on  the  alert  to  aid  in 
evangelizing  all  peoples,  and  the  Chinese  shared  in  their  evangel- 
istic efforts,  of  which  the  author  has  personal  knowledge  of  a 
general  character,  but  has  not  the  data  for  historical  record.  The 
Chinese  in  America,  indeed  in  the  world,  is  one  of  the  great  problems 
carried  over  to  the  twentieth  century  for  solution  by  the  churches. 


HOME  FOR  THE  CHILDREN  OF  FOREIGN 
MISSIONARIES 

By  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven 

From  the  prospectus  of  a  Home  for  the  Children  of  Foreign 
Missionaries  on  Vashon  Island,  Wash.,  published  in  January,  1895: 

Three  years  ago,  on  account  of  broken  health,  I  was  compelled  to 
give  up  my  pastoral  work  in  Centralia  and  seek  some  quiet  place  where 
my  health  might  be  restored.  Inasmuch  as  my  mind  had  been  directed  to 
Vashon  Island,  the  Mission  Board  of  Western  Washington  asked  me  to 
open  up  the  work  there,  and  their  offer  was  gratefully  accepted.  Since 
there  was  great  doubt  in  my  mind  whether  I  should  ever  be  able  to 
stand  the  work  I  had  done  before,  and  we  could  find  no  suitable  building 
for  a  home,  I  bought  a  few  acres  of  land  when  spring  came  and  made 
me  a  home.  In  eighteen  or  twenty  months  my  health  was  much  re- 
stored, and  I  believe  I  should  soon  have  thought  of  selling  my  home 
and  looking  for  a  larger  field  of  usefulness  but  for  the  impression  that 
God  had  given  us  the  home  to  be  used  in  some  way  for  the  advancement 
of  his  kingdom.  This  was  followed  by  a  deeper  impression  that  it  might 
be  God's  will  to  found  a  home  for  homeless  or  orphan  children.  With- 
out further  developments  it  seemed  unwise  and  impracticable ;  but  on  talk- 
ing it  over  with  my  beloved  wife,  we  began  to  ask  earnestly  of  God  that 
if  he  had  any  such  thoughts  toward  us  to  make  it  plain  and  manifest  his 
will  to  us. 

A  little  while  after  this  we  received  a  letter  from  an  old  friend  of 
ours,  Rev.  George  Campbell,  of  Mun  Kew  Liang,  China,  in  which  he 
spoke  of  the  necessity  of  soon  making  provision  for  the  education  of  his 
children,  and  expressed  the  wish  that  it  could  be  in  the  desirable  climate 
of  Washington.  At  once  it  impressed  me  as  the  hand  of  God  directing,  but 
I  said  nothing.  Soon  after  I  handed  Mrs.  Beaven  the  letter.  After  read- 
ing it,  she  quietly  remarked :  "  My  dear,  does  it  not  strike  you  that 
perhaps  this  is  God's  answer  to  our  prayers?"  When  I  had  told  her  my 
impression,   we   continued   asking  further   guidance   of  God. 

A  month  or  two  after  this,  in  a  business  letter  from  Rev.  J.  M. 
Foster,  of  Swatow,  he  incidentally  remarked  that  he  was  expecting  in 
the  near  future  to  return  to  America  for  his  health  and  to  provide  for  the 
education  of  his  children.  But  it  was  something  he  very  much  dreaded 
for  their  part,  as  none  of  them  were  strong,  and  he  was  afraid  of  the 
climate  of  our  Eastern  States,  being  so  different  from  what  they  had  been 
used  to.  Having  seen  and  experienced  the  helpfulness  of  this  climate  to 
persons  in  delicate  health,  jou  can  see  how  we  were  compelled  to  believe 
God  was  making  the  way  still  clearer. 

We  felt,  before  saying  anything  further  regarding  this  or  coming  to 
any  decision,  that  we  would  like  to  talk  the  matter  over  with  our  dear 
friend  and  co-worker.  Rev.  James  Sunderland,  the  district  secretary 
of  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union  (now  American  Baptist 
Foreign  Mission  Society),  for  the  Pacific  Coast.  Responding  to  our  invi- 
tation, it  was  not  long  till  he  visited  us.  Then  I  told  him  of  these  experi- 
ences.   After  a  pause  he  said :  "  Brother  Beaven,  do  you  know  that  it  is 


364       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

just  what  myself  and  some  others  have  covenanted  to  pray  for,  only  we 
have  thought  of  it  as  being  in  California  instead  of  Washington."  He 
then  told  me  of  the  trying  experiences  of  Rev.  C.  D.  King,  of  Assam,  in 
trying;  to  find  a  suitable  home  in  California,  and  that  through  those 
experiences  they  had  been  led  to  pray  for  a  home  for  the  children  of 
missionaries  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

He  very  kindly  encouraged  us,  and  soon  after  in  writing  he  said  that 
on  after  consideration  he  was  persuaded  that  Washington  was  to  be  pre- 
ferred to  California  in  his  judgment  as  more  likely  to  develop  stronger 
children.  It  was  then,  that  feeling  our  heavenly  Father  had  made  plain 
his  will,  we  cheerfully  accepted  it  as  from  him  and  have  consecrated  our- 
selves to  him  for  that  service  as  he  shall  indicate  and  open  up  the  way, 
being  assured  that  if  it  is  of  him,  he  will  remove  any  and  every  difficulty. 
Now,  in  the  meanwhile,  or  on  February  16,  1894,  my  beloved  earthly 
parent,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Beaven,  was  called  home  to  be  with  Jesus.  In 
his  declining  years  he  had  made  his  home  with  us,  we  having  built  a 
home  adjoining  ours,  and  my  two  unmarried  sisters  kept  house  for  him. 
This  left  my  sisters,  Miss  Annie  and  Miss  S.  A.  Beaven,  without  any  par- 
ticular plans  in  life,  and  free  according  to  their  strength  to  assist  in  any 
such  enterprise,  and  to  it  they  are  willing  to  commit  themselves  as  God 
shall  open  the  way.  I  believe  from  their  experience  with  children  and 
in  Christian  work  they  will  be  eminently  fitted  to  mold  and  influence  the 
children  in  the  development  of  the  Christ  life  and  character. 

Since  then,  Brother  Foster  and  family  on  their  return  to  America, 
visited  us  at  our  home,  spending  a  week  or  more,  and  went  away  giving  it 
their  most  hearty  approval,  support,  and  recommendation,  and  are  inter- 
esting many  friends  in  it.  These  facts  have  been  laid  before  the 
Women's  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Societies  of  California,  Oregon,  eastern 
and  western  Washington,  and  British  Columbia,  and  each  society  has 
given  it  hearty  approval,  and  each  has  promised  to  help  in  the  fur- 
nishing of  the  home,  and  hardly  a  week  goes  by  in  which  we  do  not 
receive  some  kindly  word  of  encouragement  from  pastors  and  workers 
on  the  coast,  telling  us  they  believe  God  is  in  the  movement  and  assuring 
us  of  help  and  prayers  in  the  undertaking. 

Thus  this  home  had  its  conception  and  birth  in  the  mind  and 
heart  of  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven;  generated,  as  he  believed,  by  the  mind 
of  God ;  strengthened  by  the  expressed  desire  of  Rev.  George  Campbell 
and  Rev.  J.  M.  Foster  for  such  a  home  .on  the  Pacific  Coast  for  their 
children.  It  was  in  December,  1894,  after  much  prayer,  and  after 
consultation  with  Rev.  James  Sunderland,  the  district  secretary  of 
the  Missionary  Union  (now  American  Baptist  Foreign  Mission 
Society),  and  after  correspondence  with  its  officials  and  those  of 
the  Women's  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society  of  the  Pacific  Coast, 
that  such  a  home  was  agreed  and  determined  upon. 

It  was  a  time  of  great  financial  depression ;  and  not  much 
encouragement  was  given  except  by  promises  that,  if  any  way  should 
open  for  such  a  home,  the  furnishings  would  be  provided  and  help 
given  in  its  maintenance;  and  Brother  Beaven  determined  to  build  it 
from  his  own  resources  if  it  were  possible. 

The  contract  was  let  for  the  building  February  25,  1895.  It 
was  to  be  a  commodious  building,  three  and  a  half  stories  high,  of 
brick  up  to  the  basement  windows  on  the  first  floor,  the  rest  being  a 
wooden  structure;   and   it   was  to  contain  twenty   large  rooms  and 


HOME    FOR    THE    CHILDREN  365 

three  spacious  halls,  the  outside  dimensions  of  the  building  to  be 
thirty-six  by  sixty-eight  feet;  and  it  was  to  cost  $3,500. 

Though  not  yet  quite  completed,  it  was  opened  on  August  21, 
1895,  to  receive  the  four  children  of  Rev.  George  Campbell  and  his 
wife,  .who  were  about  to  sail  for  their  field  of  labor  at  Ka  Yin, 
China,  on  August  23.  From  the  beginning,  Mr.  Beaven  was  ably 
seconded  by  Mrs.  Beaven,  who  threw  her  heart  and  soul  into  the  en- 
terprise and  did  her  best  to  make  it  a  success.  At  the  time  it  was 
opened,  Miss  Annie  E.  Beaven  and  Miss  S.  A.  Beaven,  sisters  of  Mr. 
Beaven,  moved  into  the  home,  consecrating  themselves  to  the  work 
and  to  the  care  of  the  children  entrusted  to  them. 

Agreements  for  co-operation  were  entered  into  from  the  begin- 
ning with  the  Women's  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Societies  of  the 
coast,  whereby  the  furnishings  given  by  them  were  to  remain  their 
property;  and,  in  case  of  the  death  of  Mr.  or  Mrs.  Beaven,  or  in  the 
event  of  their  not  continuing  the  management  of  the  home,  the 
property  should  first  be  offered  to  the  Women's  Foreign  Mission  So- 
cieties. A  committee  of  management  and  an  executive  committee 
were  at  the  same  time  appointed  by  the  Women's  Foreign  Mission 
Society  of  the  Pacific  Coast.  These  committees  were  to  assume  over- 
sight of  the  home,  and  through  them  all  appeals  for  help  were  to  be 
made  to  the  denomination.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  com- 
mittees in  1897,  it  was  decided  that  the  best  interests  of  the  home 
could  be  secured  only  by  the  complete  ownership  of  the  home  by 
the  denomination.  It  was  determined  to  purchase  it  for  the  de- 
nomination as  soon  as  funds  could  be  obtained,  and  to  this  end,  the 
property  being  valued  at  $5,000,  it  was  proposed  to  raise  this  sum 
in  one  thousand  shares  of  $5  each ;  and  Brother  Beaven  was  asked 
to  begin  the  canvass  for  it  in  the  spring  of  1898. 

Since  Brother  Beaven  realized  that  many  improvements  were 
needed  in  the  home,  such  as  a  system  of  waterworks,  sewerage,  and 
drainage,  he  made  the  offer  that,  if  his  salary  and  expenses  were 
paid,  he  would  give  the  building  and  one  and  a  half  acres  of  land  if 
the  committee  would  pay  a  mortgage  of  $1,000  and  $650  of  additional 
indebtedness  which  had  accrued.  While  no  official  acceptance  of 
this  offer  was  made,  yet  the  canvass  was  begun  with  this  under- 
standing; and  after  fourteen  months  of  convassing  among  the 
churches  and  women's  mission  circles  of  the  Pacific  Coast.  Brother 
Beaven  reported  $4,445.75  as  pledged  and  collected.  Of  this  sum, 
there  came  from  Washington,  $1,813.17;  California,  $1,375.95; 
Oregon,  $1,175.15;  British  Columbia,  $81.48.     Total,  $4,445.75. 

This  paid  all  the  indebtedness  and  the  expenses  of  Brother 
Beaven,  made  all  the  contemplated  improvements,  and  purchased 
three  acres  of  orchard  land  adjoining  the  home  for  $750.  As  soon  as 
it  was  certain  that  the  object  of  the  canvass  would  be  attained,  a 
meeting  of  the  local  committee  was  held;  articles  of  incorporation 
were  prepared  and  submitted  to  the  Women's  Baptist  Foreign  Mis- 


366       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

sion  Societies  of  the  coast;  and,  after  their  suggestions  had  been 
inserted  and  the  articles  had  been  approved,  the  organization  was 
completed  September  23,  1901.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  com- 
mittee, in  December,  1901,  deeds  were  executed  and  all  the  property 
transferred  to  the  trustees  of  the  new  corporation;  and  they  took 
formal  possession  of  the  property. 

Up  to  this  time,  thirty-eight  children  of  missionaries  had  been 
cared  for  in  the  home;  thirteen  missionary  parents  had  found  a 
temporary  home  there,  and  in  addition,  twenty-seven  other  mission- 
aries and  ten  of  their  children  had  been  visitors  for  a  time. 

This  home  was,  perhaps,  the  crowning  work  of  Mr.  Beaven  on 
Vashon  Island;  and  it  may  be  truly  said  that  Mrs.  Beaven  and  the 
sisters,  Miss  Annie  E.  Beaven  and  Miss  Sarah  A.  Beaven,  threw 
their  lives  into  the  work  and  never  stopped  on  account  of  toil  or 
sacrifice.  To  them  all  it  was  a  labor  of  love  for  Christ;  and  the 
home  itself,  and  the  children  whose  lives  they  helped  and  molded, 
are  the  monuments  of  their  faithfulness.  The  home  enters  the 
twentieth  century  with  high  hopes  and  bright  prospects. 


PART  VI 
EDUCATION 


Rev.  Geo.  C.  Chandler,  D.  D. 


Mrs.  Geo.  C.  Chandler 


CHAPTER  I 

EDUCATIONAL  BEGINNINGS 
1879-1883 

The  "  boom.''  Coming  wealth.  A  great  struggle.  Many  overcome.  Enchanted 
ground.  Education  in  it.  Help  for  the  ministry.  Public  opinion.  Oregon  City 
school.  Oregon  Baptist  Educational  Society.  Oregon  University  closed  out.  Mc- 
Minnville  College.  First  faculty.  First  agent.  Four  thousand  dollars'  debt.  Build- 
ing leased.  Prof.  G.  W.  Johnson.  Under  control  of  Central  Association.  En- 
dowment Rev.  R.  C.  Hill,  M.  D.,  agent.  Twenty-three-thousanddollar  endowment. 
The  new  building.  A  strenuous  canvass.  Success.  A  suggestion  by  the  author.  The 
English  Bible  a  text-book. 

It  has  never  been  written,  so  far  as  the  author  knows,  that  the 
spirit  of  speculation  ("the  boom"),  which  spread  itself  over  the 
Northwest  from  1883  to  1893,  like  the  illumination  of  an  aurora 
borealis,  its  radiant  streamers  lighting  up  every  community  and  every 
home  with  the  promise  of  coming  wealth  and  greatness,  was  the  most 
difficult  problem  that  the  Christian  ministry.  Christian  churches,  and 
Christian  organizations  had  to  contend  with  in  the  prosecution  of 
Christian  work  along  lines  of  righteousness  that  could  be  approved 
by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  had  called  those  agencies  into  active 
service  to  promote  the  establishment  of  his  kingdom  in  this  promising 
land.  The  ministers  struggled  against  this  speculative  spirit  like 
heroes,  praying  for  strength  from  God  to  beat  back  the  current.  A 
few  succeeded,  but  many  were  overcome  and  were  swept  along  in 
the  alluring  stream  which  was  to  carry  them  so  rapidly  into  the 
promised  harbor  of  wealth.  The  author  has  talked  and  prayed  with 
scores  of  ministers  that  they  might  be  preserved  and  escape  from  the 
temptation,  but  many  were  taken  in  by  its  subtle  ways  and  suffered 
from  it. 

Churches  were  built  upon  this  enchanted  ground  of  speculation, 
too  often  without  digging  down  to  the  solid  rock,  Christ  Jesus,  and 
rearing  the  structure  thereon.  Speculation  crept  into  the  mission 
work,  and  in  spite  of  all  efforts  to  the  contrary,  appeals  for  money 
for  home  missions  were  in  a  measure  affected  by  it.  Deposit  $100 
here  and  it  will  bring  you  back  $400  from  New  York,  was  a  thought 
ever  prominent  in  the  minds  of  givers;  and  this  generous  ratio, 
designed  only  to  supplement  what  was  given  for  the  sake  of  Jesus 
Christ  and  for  his  glory  alone,  was  in  danger  of  being  abused  by  the 
speculative  spirit.  In  no  part  of  the  great  work  of  our  denomination 
was  this  spirit  so  apparent  as  in  that  of  Christian  education.  If  its 
recorded  facts  are  recited  in  a  continuous  narrative,  much  of  the 
verbiage  now  enshrouding  the  work  of  higher  Christian  education 
on  the  Northwest  Coast  will  be  removed;  and,  if  the  reader  should 
V  369 


370       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

agree  with  the  author's  conclusion  that  because  of  the  speculative 
spirit,  this  necessary  and  important  part  of  our  mission  as  Baptists 
has  been  retarded  for  half  a  century,  it  may  open  the  way  for  a 
solution  of  a  problem  still  unsolved  by  the  Baptist  denomination  on 
the  North  Pacific  Coast. 

To  obtain  the  educational  setting  of  denominational  effort  on 
this  field,  we  must  hastily  glance  at  the  work  of  the  pioneer  educators. 
Such  men  as  Snelling,  Fisher,  Curtis,  Chandler,  Weston,  Cornelius, 
Anderson,  Bailey,  and  R.  C.  Hill,  M.  D.,  were  college  graduates,  and 
knew  the  value  of  education  by  actual  possession.  Men  like  Johnson, 
Hunsaker,  Richardson,  and  others,  who  had  only  a  limited  education, 
appreciated  the  value  of  it  not  less,  and  had  vied  with  the  others  in 
their  efforts  to  plant  educational  institutions.  Practically  the  whole 
ministerial  force  in  the  Territory  of  Oregon,  which  included  the  whole 
of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  belonging  to  the  United  States,  favored 
Christian  education,  and  especially  something  that  would  help  the 
ministry.  This  was  denominational  public  opinion  when  the  first 
effort  to  establish  a  Baptist  school  at  Oregon  City,  Ore.,  was  made 
in  1849,  by  Revs.  Ezra  Fisher  and  Hezekiah  Johnson. 

Rev.  Hezekiah  Johnson  opened  a  school  in  his  new  meeting- 
house, with  his  niece  in  charge,  in  1849;  Rev.  Ezra  Fisher  succeeded 
her,  and  carried  the  school  on  until  1852,  when  steps  were  taken  to 
plant  a  college.  John  McLaughlin  gave  a  site  for  a  building,  $4000 
was  raised,  and  a  building  thirty-four  feet  by  sixty  and  three  stories 
high  was  enclosed,  while  four  brethren  donated  thirty  acres  of  land. 
In  185 1  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  sent  Revs.  G.  C. 
Chandler  and  Robert  S.  Read  to  take  charge  of  the  school,  but 
Brother  Read  went  into  the  home  mission  work.  In  1852,  at  the  re- 
quest of  Brother  Chandler,  the  society  sent  to  his  aid  Rev.  J.  D.  Post. 
The  same  year  the  Oregon  Baptist  Educational  Society  was  formed, 
and  an  effort  was  made  to  raise  funds  to  assist  needy  young  men  who 
W'ished  to  enter  the  ministry.  In  1856  twenty-three  trustees  obtained 
a  charter  for  an  "  Oregon  University,"  and  all  the  rights  of  the 
Oregon  College  were  merged  in  that.  This  killed  the  school. 
Brother  Post  resigned,  and  his  resignation  ended  the  school  history. 
As  late  as  1888  a  quorum  of  the  trustees  of  the  "  Oregon  University  " 
sold  the  property  and  transferred  its  assets  to  McMinnville  College, 
including  $1,000  realized  from  the  sale  of  the  old  campus  at  Oregon 
City.  The  school  at  Oregon  City  began  when  there  were  but  one 
hundred  and  forty  Baptists  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  and  at  no 
time  while  it  was  carried  on  did  they  number  over  one  thousand. 

McMinnville  College  grew  out  of  a  high  school,  originally 
started  by  members  of  the  Christian  denomination  in  1855.  The 
property  was  turned  over  to  the  Baptists  in  1856.  They  completed 
the  building  and  chartered  the  college  in  January,  1858.  Its  first 
faculty  consisted  of  Rev.  G.  C.  Chandler,  president,  with  George 
Russell  as  his  assistant.     May  21,   1858,  Rev.  C.  H'.   Mattoon  was 


EDUCATIONAL    BEGINNINGS  37 1 

appointed  to  act  as  endowment  agent.  He  set  out  in  August,  and 
in  January,  1859,  reported  $1,100  raised  on  scholarships,  $746.50 
by  general  subscription,  and  $175  pledged  by  the  Central  Association. 
The  faculty,  in  1859,  was  Rev.  G.  C.  Chandler,  president;  J.  D.  Post, 
professor  of  languages;  and  Rev.  C.  H.  Mattoon,  professor  of  mathe- 
matics. One  hundred  and  seventy-eight  pupils  were  enrolled  in  the 
winter  term.  In  i860,  when  the  report  was  made  to  the  Central  As- 
sociation, a  debt  of  $4,000  had  accumulated.  Forty  members  of  the 
Association  paid  the  debt,  sharing  it  among  them  voluntarily,  accord- 
ing to  the  assessed  valuation  of  their  taxable  property.  Meanwhile 
the  school  and  the  faculty  scattered,  and  the  building  was  closed 
until  in  April,  1861,  Brother  Mattoon  returned  and  opened  a  private 
school  there. 

In  1862  the  Central  Association  elected  a  Board  of  Trustees  to 
manage  the  school.  Revs.  G.  C.  Chandler  and  C.  H.  Mattoon  leased 
the  building  for  five  years ;  and,  though  the  contract  had  not  been  exe- 
cuted, with  hopeful  prospects  the  school  was  opened.  Sickness, 
however,  soon  called  Brother  Mattoon  away  to  assist  his  family ; 
and  Brother  Chandler  resigned  after  teaching  a  term  or  two.  This 
closed  the  connection  of  these  men  with  the  school  as  teachers. 

In  March,  1863,  the  trustees  leased  the  school  to  Prof.  J.  W. 
Johnson  for  the  term  of  five  years  for  $1,000,  to  be  paid  in  improve- 
ments. Professor  Johnson  had  a  prosperous  school  until  1867,  when 
he  left  it  to  become  president  of  the  Oregon  State  University  at 
Eugene.  The  school  was  carried  on  without  incurring  further  in- 
debtedness until  1871.  In  September  of  this  year,  Professor  Robb 
leased  the  school  for  five  years.  This  same  year  the  Central  Associ- 
ation turned  the  school  over  to  the  Oregon  Baptist  State  Convention  in 
co-operation  with  the  Board  of  Trustees,  a  majority  of  whom  should 
be  appointed  by  the  Association,  and  asked  the  Willamette  Associ- 
ation to  unite  in  this  educational  work.  The  Willamette  Associ- 
ation heartily  concurred  and  appointed  Hon.  Henry  Warren,  George 
C.  Bell,  Rev.  E.  Curtiss,  and  Rev.  G.  C.  Chandler  as  trustees.  In 
1872  the  Central  Association  took  further  action  instructing  the 
trustees  to  obtain  an  amendment  to  the  charter  allowing  representa- 
tion from  all  Baptists  of  Oregon  and  Washington.  Rev.  W.  H. 
Pruett  was  appointed  to  represent  the  Mount  Pleasant  Association, 
and  Judge  R.  S.  Greene  to  represent  the  Puget  Sound  Association ; 
and  thus  the  school  at  McMinnville  became  the  institution  of  the 
Baptists  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast. 

Meanwhile  Rev.  R.  C.  Hill,  M.  D.,  had  been  appointed  agent  to 
raise  an  endowment  of  $20,000  on  the  plan  of  scholarships  and  per- 
sonal pledges,  and  reported  in  November,  1872,  $23,000  raised. 
Doctor  Hill  was  himself  a  Landmarker,  and  a  large  portion  of  the 
pledges,  scholarships,  and  notes  that  he  took  came  from  the  Land- 
marker  brethren.  Up  to  1871  the  college  had  been  incorporated, 
fathered,  controlled,  and  promoted  by  the  Central  Association,  which 


T,'/2       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

was  a  Landmark  body.  The  author  had  a  long  personal  acquaintance 
with  Doctor  Hill,  and  frequent  conferences  with  him  about  the  col- 
lege and  the  missionary  work,  and  heard  his  addresses.  His  appeal 
for  the  college  was  always  based  upon  the  need  of  Christian  education, 
and  especially  its  necessity  for  the  ministry.  One  of  his  highest 
hopes  was  that  in  the  near  future  a  chair  would  be  provided  for 
the  instruction  of  Baptist  ministers. 

When  the  author  first  visited  Oregon  he  found  this  sentiment 
widely  prevalent  that  to  help  McMinnville  meant  to  pave  the  way  to 
help  the  Baptist  ministry  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  Later,  when 
pledges  for  a  new  building  were  being  obtained,  the  canvass  of  the 
State  had  been  made  and  fell  short  about  $5,000,  though  everything 
depended  upon  raising  at  least  $20,000.  The  author,  then  in  the  em- 
ploy of  the  Home  Mission  Society  as  the  Superintendent  of  Missions, 
was  called  upon  to  make  a  recanvass.  Seeing  the  exigency  of  the 
case,  he  wrote  Doctor  Morehouse  for  permission  to  do  so.  The 
permission  came,  allowing  about  three  months  for  the  canvass,  which 
covered  the  State. 

The  author  reached  the  Willamette  Association,  then  in  session 
at  The  Dalles,  as  a  last  resort,  still  lacking  $1,500  to  complete  the 
amount.  He  was  willingly  granted  the  floor,  and  for  three-quarters 
of  an  hour  pleaded  for  the  money  without  avail.  The  meeting  was 
dismissed,  but  the  audience  was  loath  to  leave  the  house.  People  were 
gathered  in  knots  consulting.  Soon  a  good  brother  and  his  wife 
called  the  agent.  He  said:  "Wife  and  I  have  been  consulting,  and 
have  agreed  to  give  $1,000  of  the  amount,  provided  you  can  get  the 
other  $500.  The  agent  shouted,  "  Glory  to  God,"  called  the  congrega- 
tion together,  and  announced  that  good  Deacon  Beezley  and  wife 
had  pledged  $1,000  if  we  could  make  up  the  other  $500,  which  was 
done  in  a  few  minutes,  and  we  sang  "  Praise  God  from  whom  all 
blessings  flow."  In  this  canvass  the  author  found  an  almost  universal 
sentiment  in  favor  of  the  school,  especially  with  a  view  to  provide 
training  for  the  ministry. 

When  the  Rev.  E.  C.  Anderson,  D.  D.,  had  been  elected  president, 
and  the  school  was  about  moving  into  the  new  building,  the  author 
visited  him  and  held  a  long  conference  with  him  on  this  matter.  Be- 
cause of  the  financial  strain  that  had  been  required  to  erect  the  new 
building,  it  was  not  thought  wise  at  present  to  attempt  a  canvass  for 
a  chair  devoted  to  the  ministry.  Apprehending  that  the  accumu- 
lating expenses  of  maintaining  the  school  would  long  defer,  and 
possibly  in  the  end  prevent  the  effort  being  made  at  all.  the  author 
urged  the  president  to  put  the  English  Bible  into  the  school  as  a 
text-book  and  require  its  study  in  the  same  way  as  other  text-books 
in  the  curriculum.  The  author  believed  that  in  this  way  the  aid  de- 
sired for  the  ministry  would,  in  a  measure,  be  met,  and  that  this 
study  once  adopted  would  ever  remain  and  would  pave  the  way  to 
additional  helps  for  the  ministry  through  lectures  and  other  means 


EDL'CATIOXAL    BEGINNINGS  2>72> 

which  could  be  secured  without  the  endowment  of  a  chair.  When 
the  conference  ended,  it  was  hoped  that  the  suggestion  would  be 
adopted,  but  Doctor  Anderson  was  already  doing  all  in  his  power  for 
the  ministerial  students  and  was  overburdened  with  the  work  which 
finally  broke  down  his  health,  and  there  was  no  one  else  in  the  faculty 
competent  to  teach  the  principles  of  Scripture  exegesis,  and  there- 
fore no  extended  course  in  exegetics  was  provided,  although  the 
Bible  was  always  reverently  taught  and  studied  in  the  school. 

The  author  believes  that  a  great  opportunity  for  McMinnville 
College  was  lost  when  the  school  began  its  occupancy  of  the  new 
building  without  providing  at  least  a  short  course  of  study  for  the 
ministry,  even  though  it  had  been  founded  upon  using  the  English 
Bible  as  a  text-book.  The  school  has  ever  since  been  well  spoken 
of  and  has  been  given  a  fine  showing  in  Associations  and  con- 
ventions by  means  of  resolutions  and  speeches;  but  alas,  it  failed  to 
provide  a  short  course  of  study  for  ministers  then  in  active  service 
with  insufficient  training,  and  for  young  men  who  could  not  go  to  the 
East  for  a  course  in  theology.  For  such  a  course  of  study  it  is  still 
necessary,  in  1900,  for  the  Baptists  of  the  Northwest  to  go  as  far  as 
Chicago  or  Rochester  to  find  a  Baptist  theological  seminary  or  a 
Bible  institute  or  training  school  for  the  ministry.  [This  is  not  so  at 
the  time  of  the  publication  of  this  book.  There  is  now  an  excellent 
theological  seminary  at  Kansas  City,  in  charge  of  Dr.  P.  W.  Crannell.] 

That  nothing  has  been  done  at  McMinnville  to  aid  young  men 
having  the  ministry  in  view  is  not  to  be  understood  by  this  review. 
But  that  no  chair  has  been  endowed  or  provision  made  for  a  short 
course  in  biblical  exegesis.  Scripture  interpretation  and  church  history, 
with  lectures  from  competent  scholars,  who  were  always  obtain- 
able at  minimum  cost,  is  a  historical  fact.  This  primary  work  for 
the  ministry,  which  was  so  large  a  factor  in  touching  the  hearts  and 
opening  the  purses  of  our  beloved  people  to  erect  buildings  and  begin 
the  endowment  of  McMinnville  College  in  those  early  days  has  been 
sidetracked  instead  of  being  put  into  the  curriculum  and  kept 
running  on  the  main  line.  Fifty  years  of  history  and  still  struggling 
for  existence !  What  a  change  in  its  history,  in  its  support  and 
growth,  in  the  great  work  of  missions  and  ministerial  supply  on  this 
most  destitute  and  yet  most  promising  field  in  America,  if  this  side- 
tracked car  could  have  held  the  right  of  way  in  the  curriculum  of 
iMcMinnville  College  for  fifty  years,  can  hardly  be  imagined. 


CHAPTER  II 

COLFAX  COLLEGE 
1878-1892 

A  previous  school.  Large  patronage.  Baptist  Academy.  New  quarters.  One  hun- 
dred students.  Ideal  location.  Clamor  for  a  college.  Incorporated.  A  miserable  ex- 
istence. Under  protest.  Spokane  offer.  A  crisis.  The  status.  A  pressing  appeal. 
Denominational  credit.     School  in  new  building. 

The  next  effort  made  by  the  Baptists  of  the  North  Pacific 
Coast  in  educational  work  was  begun  at  Colfax,  Wash.,  in  1878, 
when  a  private  school  was  started  in  the  unfinished  building  erected 
by  the  First  Baptist  Church.  This  school  was  suggested  by  Dea. 
Theophilus  Smith,  who  for  many  years  was  a  pillar  in  the  Colfax 
church  and  one  of  the  stanch  supporters  of  the  school.  Rev.  S.  E. 
Stearns  was  at  the  time  the  missionary  on  the  field,  and  was  largely 
instrumental  in  starting  and  sustaining  both  the  church  and  the 
school  until  they  were  firmly  established.  The  school  was  opened 
September  11,  1878,  by  Miss  L.  L.  West,  a  graduate  of  Bailey's  Com- 
mercial College,  and  a  teacher  of  ten  years'  experience  in  various 
high  schools  of  the  East.  She  was  a  woman  of  fine  executive  ability, 
popular  in  the  school  and  city,  and  in  the  Baptist  church,  of  which 
she  was  a  devoted  member.  The  school  was  well  patronized,  and 
soon  had  a  large  and  permanent  place  in  the  life  of  the  growing 
town  and  in  the  great  heart  of  the  Baptist  denomination.  Miss  West 
was  active  in  all  departments  of  denominational  life,  and  her  school 
was  kept  so  prominently  in  favor  with  the  Baptists  that,  in  December, 
1881,  it  was  incorporated  as  a  Baptist  academy,  and  Miss  L.  M. 
Spaulding,  a  graduate  of  the  Willamette  University  at  Salem,  Ore., 
was  engaged  as  an  assistant  teacher,,  since  this  school  had  outgrown 
the  capacity  of  the  house  and  the  ability  of  one  teacher  to  handle  it. 

In  August,  1 88 1,  under  the  leadership  of  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven, 
the  church  voted  to  finish  its  building,  and  to  erect  an  addition 
for  the  use  of  the  school  as  long  as  needed,  which  was  still  to  use 
the  auditorium  of  the  church  for  commencement  exercises,  lectures, 
and  other  large  gatherings.  This  addition  furnished  accommodations 
for  a  hundred  students.  Finishing  the  church,  building  the  addition, 
and  fencing  the  grounds  cost  $2,286.  Brother  Beaven  raised  the  en- 
tire sum,  except  $500,  which  was  a  gift  from  the  church  edifice  fund 
of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.  The  academy  be- 
gan a  career  of  unusual  promise,  and  gained  the  confidence  of  the 
town  and  the  surrounding  country,  as  well  as  that  of  the  Baptist  de- 
nomination. It  was  everywhere  talked  of  by  the  Baptists  as  "  our 
school."  "  We  will  sustain  our  school."  It  was  a  flourishing  school, 
self-supporting  and  free  from  debt,  and  it  had  a  good  building  which 

374 


Rev.  James  Cairns 


COLFAX    COLLEGE  375 

might  have  been  held  for  its  use  until  the  denomination  was  able  to 
put  up  a  new  building  for  its  exclusive  ownership.  The  location  was 
ideal  for  an  academy,  and  it  seemed  that  we  had  one  school  that 
could  be  maintained  and  made  eminently  successful  for  all  time. 

The  control  of  the  academy  was  vested  in  a  Board  of  Education 
composed  of  delegates  from  Baptist  churches  in  eastern  Washington, 
eastern  Oregon,  and  northern  Idaho,  meeting  annually  with  the 
Palouse  Baptist  Association,  each  church  being  entitled  to  one 
delegate. 

In  the  report  of  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific 
Coast  for  October,  1881,  we  find  the  following  statement: 

Here  is  another  opening  of  unusual  interest.  Colfax  Academy, 
located  here,  belongs  to  the  Baptists.  It  has  now  been  in  operation  for 
three  years.  Hitherto  the  school  has  been  taught  in  the  Baptist  church 
building.  Now,  they  are  engaged  in  adding  to  the  church  a  new  building 
for  the  school,  twenty-four  feet  by  thirty-two,  two  stories  high,  and 
divided  into  three  rooms.  In  addition  to  this,  they  are  putting  their  church, 
which  was  twenty-six  feet  by  fifty  feet,  upon  a  brick  foundation,  and 
finishing  it  off  at  a  cost  of  $850.  They  have  a  membership  of  about 
thirty.  They  want  a  pastor.  They  need  a  pastor.  .  .  A  good  salary 
awaits  the  man  who  can  fill  the  place. 

Too  soon,  however,  came  a  clamor  for  enlargement  and  for 
a  school  building  and  a  campus  held  under  the  school's  own  charter. 
This  would  not  have  been  out  of  the  reach  of  the  denomination  at  this 
time  had  the  school  been  kept  under  its  first  charter  and  name,  and 
been  limited  strictly  to  an  academy;  but  when  somebody  said  that  we 
ought  to  have  it  changed  to  a  college,  college-blossoms,  like  thistle- 
blossoms,  blew  all  over  the  country,  dropping  here  and  there  seed 
which  sprang  up  and  crowded  out  the  academy.  A  college  was 
established,  struggled  through  a  miserable  existence  for  a  few  years, 
and  finally  was  lost  to  the  denomination,  together  with  about  $18,000, 
which  it  had  cost  to  make  the  experiment.  This  change  from  academy 
to  college  was  made  in  1885,  against  the  protest  of  every  college 
graduate  in  the  ministry  of  the  field,  and  also  against  the  protest 
of  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  the  Superintendent  of  Missions  of  the  American 
Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  who  used  both  his  personal  and 
official  influence  against  it.  The  change  was  made  by  those  in 
authority,  and  the  opponents  of  the  change  had  no  alternative  but 
to  yield  to  the  majority  and  give  the  college  the  best  service  in  their 
power. 

While  this  question  of  establishing  a  college  at  Colfax  was  under 
discussion,  valuable  property  was  offered  by  persons  in  Spokane  for  a 
college  campus  there.  This  offer  might  have  been  accepted  with  good 
business  judgment  and  held  for  a  college  had  the  Colfax  school  been 
kept  as  an  academy.  One  person  in  Spokane  offered  four  blocks 
lying  five  or  six  blocks  west  of  Monroe  Street,  and  another  forty 
acres  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  in  what  is  now  a  thickly  settled 


3/6       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

portion  of  the  largest  inland  city  of  the  State.  The  conditions  of 
either  of  these  offers  might  have  been  met,  and  an  academy  retained 
at  Colfax  without  a  tithe  of  the  struggle  and  loss  entailed  by  the  at- 
tempt to  build  a  college  there.  Miss  West  had  been  called  away  to 
act  as  superintendent  of  schools  at  Walla  Walla,  and  Professor 
Trimble  and  his  wife  were  the  efficient  faculty  of  the  school;  and  had 
it  remained  an  academy  would  have  continued  its  already  successful 
career. 

In  January,  1889,  a  crisis  had  been  reached.  The  financial  agent, 
Rev.  J.  Cairns,  that  man  of  God  who  had  hardly  an  equal  in  raising 
money  for  the  work  of  the  denomination,  had,  in  connection  with  his 
pastorate,  carried  the  financial  burden  as  agent  until  his  health 
failed  under  it  and  he  resigned.  The  status  of  the  college  at  this 
time  is  briefly  stated.  The  campus  had  been  purchased,  and  a 
good  building  erected.  On  this  property  the  citizens  of  Colfax  had 
paid  $6,645,  and  the  Baptists  $6,117.10,  under  an  agreement  that  the 
city  and  the  Baptist  denomination  should  share  equally  in  the  ex- 
pense. This  was  the  condition  of  things  when  the  author  received  a 
communication  from  the  Board  of  Trustees.  It  was  written  by  Rev. 
J.  H.  Teale,  general  missionary  for  eastern  Washington  and  northern 
Idaho,  and  its  salient  points  are  as  follows: 

At  a  regular  called  business  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
Colfax  College,  held  January  24,  1889,  the  following  Finance  Committee 
was  elected,  with  authority  and  instructions  to  secure  a  new  financial 
agent  for  the  college:  E.  Drake,  J.  H.  Teale,  and  E.  T.  Trimble.  Then  the 
following  special  instructions  were  unanimously  and  heartily  voted, 
namely :  "'  That  the  committee  correspond  with  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker  and 
secure,  if  possible,  his  acceptance  of  the  financial  agency  of  the  institu- 
tion." The  arrangement  of  salary  and  everything  was  left  with  the 
committee,  and  the  committee  has  asked  me  to  correspond  with  you,  and 
urge  you  to  accept  the  position.  We  should  be  willing  to  let  you  name 
your  own  salary,  as  we  are  willing  to  pay  you  liberally  for  doing  the  work 
as  we  know  you  will  do  it. 

Now,  my  brother,  I  want  to  say  to  you  that  I  never  felt  more  clearly 
convinced  of  anything  than  that  the  Lord  is  opening  the  way  for  you  to 
do  another  great  work  for  the  Baptists  of  the  Northwest.  Other  names 
were  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  work,  but  I  say  to  you  sincerely 
that  yours  only  inspired  hope  and  confidence.  Our  work  at  Colfax  is 
very  hopeful,  with  the  exception  of  the  debt.  The  attendance  is  the 
largest  we  have  ever  had,  notwithstanding  the  provoking  disappoint- 
ment of  having  to  continue  in  the  old  building  while  the  new  building 
stands  idle. 

I  want  to  ask  that  you  come  at  once  to  Colfax,  if  you  can,  and 
look  the  whole  situation  over.  In  the  meantime  write  me  as  promptly  as 
you  can  your  decision  in  regard  to  taking  the  work  offered  you,  as 
we  must  have  an  agent  in  the  field  within  a  month  or  six  weeks  at 
most.  I  have  written  thus  fully  because  I  am  very  anxious,  with  many 
others,  that  you  should   say  "  yes "  to  our  proposition. 

After  much  hesitation  the  author  went  to  Colfax,  where  he 
found  the  property  encumbered  with  a  first  and  second  mortgage, 
each     for     $3,000,     by     a     third     mortgage     for     $2,879     due     the 


COLFAX    COLLEGE  377 

contractor,  and  by  other  obligations  amounting  to  $2,507,  making 
a  total  indebtedness  of  $11,386.  To  offset  these  liabilities,  the 
college  had  in  subscription  notes  $1,106,  which  were  held  as  col- 
lateral to  secure  a  bank-note  of  $700,  and  verbal  pledges  of  $330, 
leaving  a  total  indebtedness  against  the  property  of  $9,950,  if  all  the 
unpaid  pledges  were  to  be  counted  good.  With  this  statement  before 
him,  after  considering  all  the  conditions,  the  author  made  the  fol- 
lowing memorandum :  "  After  a  full  and  prayerful  examination,  I  do 
not  think  it  wise  to  attempt  the  work.  Sooner  or  later  a  crisis  will 
come  when  all  will  be  lost,  and  I  have  so  reported  to  the  Board." 
The  executive  committee,  the  church,  and  the  citizens,  however, 
urged  him  to  take  the  matter  up ;  and,  finding  that  our  denominational 
integrity  was  at  stake,  he  finally  undertook  it. 

A  school  of  one  hundred  and  nineteen  students  was  in  session 
in  the  old  building,  the  new  building  being  closed  up  by  the  creditors. 
Many  of  the  young  men  had  been  induced  to  come  with  the  expecta- 
tion of  beginning  the  term  in  the  new  building,  and  the  author 
was  told  and  made  to  believe  that  a  good,  thorough,  honest  effort 
ought  to  be  made  to  pay  the  debt  and  save  the  institution  to  the 
denomination  and  the  city. 

Two  things  demanded  immediate  attention.  First,  the  financial 
situation  must  be  relieved;  and  secondly,  the  school  must  be  put  into 
possession  of  the  new  building.  Both  were  accomplished  and  brought 
both  courage  and  help.  In  September  the  agent's  report  showed 
$3,000  raised  in  negotiable  notes  conditioned  upon  a  total  of  $5,000 
being  raised.  November's  report  showed  another  $1,000  raised. 
Meanwhile  Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns,  one  of  the  chief  promoters  of  the 
school,  had  given  property  to  be  held  in  trust  by  the  agent,  and  by 
Rev.  J.  H.  Teale  and  the  Hon.  Elmer  Drake  for  educational  purposes, 
with  instructions  to  use  it  for  Colfax  College  whenever  it  would  free 
it  from  debt.  The  value  of  the  property  was  fixed  at  $1,875.50  after 
it  had  been  appraised  by  competent  persons.  This  raised  the  amount 
of  available  assets  to  $5,087.50.  The  agent's  report  also  showed  that 
an  arrangement  had  been  made  by  which  better  access  to  the  building 
was  afforded,  and  by  which  a  water  supply  could  be  furnished  until 
connection  could  be  made  with  the  city  waterworks.  It  shows  the 
internal  working  of  the  school  under  President  Trimble  and  Prof.  F. 
M.  English  to  be  good  and  hopeful  beyond  any  period  of  its  history, 
and  says :  "  I  think  it  is  of  such  a  character  as  to  commend  the 
school  both  to  new  and  to  old  patrons." 

The  burning  of  Spokane,  an  excessive  drought  throughout  the 
surrounding  country,  severe  stringency  in  finance,  coupled  with  the 
fact  that  the  agent  was  giving  half  his  time  to  Grace  Seminary, 
and  that  he  was  laid  aside  altogether  for  a  while  by  sickness,  caused 
the  canvass  not  to  be  pushed  as  it  had  been  the  previous  year.  To 
keep  up  the  running  expenses  of  the  school  was  about  all  that  could 
be  expected,  yet  $1,175  ^^'^^^  collected  and  $1,152.90  paid  on  the  indebt- 


378       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

edness.  It  was  understood,  in  the  beginning  of  the  canvass,  that 
the  agent  was  to  be  sent  to  the  East  for  aid;  but  he  constantly  held 
that  this  could  not  be  done  until  the  property  had  been  paid  for, 
and  that  he  would  go  for  endowment  only,  for  which  he  could  not 
ask  unless  the  people  here  could  pay  for  the  property.  When  they 
did  so  he  would  go.  Finally  a  point  was  reached  where  he  thought, 
with  many  others,  that  the  city  ought  to  supplement  the  assets  with  a 
sufficient  amount  to  cover  the  indebtedness.  The  agent  had  done  his 
work  and  could  not  longer  hold  the  position  and  accept  a  salary 
from  the  Board.  He  had  arranged  too,  for  the  payment  of  the  con- 
tractor, if  the  citizens  would  care  for  the  remainder  of  the  indebted- 
ness, and  so  he  severed  his  connection  with  the  institution. 

Meantime  Professor  Trimble  had  resigned.  The  school  had  been 
put  upon  a  self-sustaining  basis  under  contract  with  Prof.  F.  M.  Eng- 
lish and  wife  to  run  the  school  for  five  years,  maintaining  the  college 
curriculum,  the  income  of  the  school  to  be  accepted  as  remuneration. 
This  contract  was  made  by  the  agent  with  Professor  English  with  the 
hope  that  it  would  be  possible  to  relieve  the  college  from  encumbrance 
during  the  tenure   of  the  contract. 

In  the  early  nineties  another  effort  was  made  by  Rev.  Geo.  H, 
Veroman,  pastor  at  Colfax,  as  agent.  He  succeeded  so  far  as  to 
report  to  the  trustees  the  needed  amount  subscribed.  The  trustees 
reported  to  the  parties  holding  the  Stearns  property  in  trust  that  they 
were  ready  to  fulfil  the  conditions  under  which  the  property  was 
donated  by  Brother  Stearns.  Mr.  Baker  took  every  measure  to 
ascertain  whether  the  legal  conditions  were  carried  out,  and  being 
assured  from  what  he  deemed  reliable  sources  aside  from  the  trus- 
tees' ratification,  and  being  assured  that  such  concessions  were 
made  as  would  enable  the  trustees  to  clear  the  property  of  debt,  he 
executed  a  deed  and  sent  it  to  the  other  members  holding  the  deed 
in  common  with  him,  and  the  property  was  turned  over  to  the  trustees 
of  the  college  with  the  stipulation  that  it  should  be  applied  on 
the  third  mortgage  to  pay  the  contractor  under  an  agreement  made 
with  him  by  J.  C.  Baker  before  he  left  the  agency ;  that  this  property 
should  be  accepted  as  a  satisfaction  of  his  mortgage  whenever  the 
trustees  were  able  to  pay  the  first  and  second  mortgages. 

This  closes  the  summary  of  Colfax  College  history  so  far  as  the 
author  had  either  personal  or  official  connection  with  it.  As  a  matter 
of  further  history  of  the  institution,  instead  of  paying  out  it  became 
more  deeply  involved  and  finally  passed  out  of  the  hands  of  the  de- 
nomination, being  sold  to  private  parties  after  having  sunk  over 
$20,000  in  the  college  effort;  the  details  of  its  further  history  being 
left  for  the  historian  of  that  field  in  his  forthcoming  volume.  We 
have  only  carried  it  so  far  in  this  volume  as  necessary  to  give  its 
historical  setting,  while  the  North  Pacific  Coast  was  practically  acting 
in  unison  under  our  Convention  in  educational  matters. 


FACULTY  OF  GRACE  SEMINARY 

Mrs.  A.  F.  Cruttenden  Mrs.  E.  T.  Trimble 

Mrs.  Jennie  M.  Baker  Shank  Mrs.  D.  A.  B.  Swasey 

E.  T.  Trimble 


CHAPTER  III 

GRACE   SEMINARY 
1883-1893 

The  Holy  Spirit  in  education.  A  feasible  plan.  Providential  openings.  An  open 
field.  Associational  control.  Important  report.  Hearty  approval.  Starting  a  school. 
Adhering  to  the  plan.  Hesitation.  Call  to  action.  Baptist  Convention  in  control. 
Educational  Society  incorporated.  A  local  Board.  Ten  thousand  dollars  pledged. 
School  at  work.  Agent  appointed.  Formal  dedication.  Description  of  building. 
Hopeful  outlook.  On  the  danger  line.  University  scheme.  Efficient  work.  Enrol- 
ment. 

In  the  year  1883  the  Holy  Spirit  seemed  to  be  moving  upon  the 
minds  of  the  Baptists  to  undertake  some  educational  work  on  the 
field  covered  by  the  Puget  Sound  Baptist  Association,  which  had  the 
same  area  as  that  later  covered  by  the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention. 
At  the  annual  meeting  of  that  Association  in  1883,  the  Educational 
Board  appointed  the  previous  year  made  a  report,  which  was  adopted, 
and  from  which  we  quote: 

It  seems  to  your  committee  that  there  should  be  three  seminaries 
under  Baptist  control  in  our  field  of  such  preparatory  grades  a.s  shall  fit 
for  college.  One  of  these  should  be  located  midway  between  Puget 
Sound  and  the  Columbia  River,  one  in  the  center  of  the  Puget  Sound 
Basin,  the  third  at  or  near  the  terminus  of  the  Canadian  Pacific 
Railway.  These  schools  should  be  part  of  a  system  of  feeders  to  supply 
with  students  a  conveniently  located  college  or  university.  .  .  In  regard 
to  a  college  or  university,  your  committee  is  of  the  opinion  that  all 
the  resources  of  the  entire  Northwest  should  be  given  to  a  single  institu- 
tion already  founded — and  that  single  institution  already  founded  and 
to  some  extent  endowed,  we  have  in  the  college  at  McMinnville,  Ore., 
toward  the  maintenance  of  which  we  urge  the  Baptists  of  the  Associ- 
ation to  give  their  money  and  their  prajers. 

That  this  was  a  movement  under  the  Spirit's  direction  seems 
evident  from  the  fact  that  very  soon  there  were  ofifered  most  favor- 
able and  valuable  sites  for  such  a  system  of  schools  at  Centralia.  at 
Seattle,  and  at  Vancouver,  B.  C.  In  the  year  1884  there  was  a  provi- 
dential opening  for  a  school  in  the  central  district  at  Seattle ;  later, 
an  equally  providential  opening  for  a  school  in  the  northern  district 
was  secured  by  Rev.  Robert  Lennie  at  Vancouver,  B.  C. ;  and  there 
was  a  providential  opening  in  the  southern  district  at  Centralia. 
where  a  private  school  had  already  been  started,  under  the  manage- 
ment of  a  school  corporation  composed  of  men  who  were  mostly 
Baptists,  that  had  come  into  the  possession  of  eleven  acres  of  ground 
for  school  purposes.  That  Centralia  was  an  ideal  place  for  an 
academy  or  a  mixed  school,  carrying  on  also  departments  of  music 
and  art  for  both   sexes,  was  everywhere  conceded.     It  was   in   the 

379 


380       BAPTIST    IIISTORV    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 


center   of   one   of   the   largest    and   richest   agricultural    districts   in 
western  Washington,  where  towns  of  larger  or  smaller  expectations 

were  being  located  by  the 
score,  with  no  high  school 
on  the  north  to  Tacoma,  on 
the  south  to  Portland,  on 
the  east  to  Walla  Walla,  or 
on  the  west  to  the  Pacific 
Ocean.  Centralia  was  the 
most  flourishing  and  pros- 
perous city  in  southwestern 
Washington,  except  Ta- 
coma and  the  capital  city. 
Olympia,  and  in  Centralia 
the  Baptists  were  as  num- 
erous and  influential  as  any 
other  denomination,  if  not 
more  so,  and  they  had  the 
sympathy  and  the  combined 
financial  strength  of  the 
city  behind  the  school.  The 
area  of  the  field  was  suf- 
ficiently large  to  support 
such  a  school,  even  after 
high  schools  began  to  multi- 
ply under  State  control. 
The  Puget  Sound  Association,  under  whose  auspices  the  educa- 
tional work  at  Centralia  was  being  developed,  at  its  annual  meeting 
in  1884,  after  rehearsing  the  plan  for  educational  work  adopted  in 
1883,  make  the  following  statements  about  Centralia: 

Our  Centralia  interest  deserves  just  now  a  hearty  and  energetic 
support.  It  should  have  practical  help  in  the  way  of  donations,  or  it  will 
surely  langiiish  and  perhaps  die.  Help  for  it  should  be  solicited  from 
the  East ;  but  we  are  in  no  good  position  to  seek  aid  from  that  quarter 
till  we  have  shown  our  hearts  engaged  and  our  possessions  consecrated 
in  this  matter.  We  deem  it,  however,  of  more  importance  that  a  first- 
class  school  be  speedily  started  at  Centralia  than  that  a  building  be  soon 
erected  there. 

It  does  not,  at  least  at  present,  seem  advisable  to  work  for  the 
foundation  of  a  college  or  university  within  our  associational  field. 
McMinnvilie  College,  in  Oregon,  will  well  serve  for  our  uses,  and  should 
have  our  cordial  encouragement.  The  schools  within  our  bounds  should, 
it  seems  to  us,  be  academies  merely  introductory  to  a  collegiate  or 
i\     si  >   c     rse.  Roger  S.  Green  e^  Ch-airman. 

At  the  annual  meeting  in  1885  the  Association  adopted  the  fol- 
lowing report,  which  we  give  in  full ;  first,  because  of  its  compre- 
hensive view  of  present  conditions ;  secondly,  because  of  its  wise  fore- 
cast of  present  and  future  needs ;  thirdly,  because  of  its  adherence  to 


GRACE    SEMINARY  38 1 

the  plan  adopted;  and,  fourthly,  because  of  the  high  character  of  the 
brethren  who  prepared  the  report: 

REPORT    OF     COMMITTEE    ON     EDUCATION 

Your  Standing  Committee  on  Education  would  report  as  follows : 

True  and  systematic  education  requires  that  intellectual  culture  be 
duly  accompanied  and  combined  with  that  which  is  moral  and  religious. 

Such  is  unquestionably  the  scriptural  idea.  From  this  .standpoint, 
surveying  Baptist  interests  of  western   Washington,   we   find : 

1.  A  great  need  of  educational  facilities. 

2.  A  great  need  of  a  sense  of  need  of  such  facilities. 

3.  A  small  effort  toward  supply,  and 

4.  Some  hints  at  duty. 

(i)  What  is  needed  is  not  endowments,  nor  magnificent  buildings 
and  grounds,  nor  pretentious  faculties,  but  good  trustworthy  schools 
proportioned  to  our  capacity  and  circumstances,  and  growing  with  our 
growth.  We  ought  to  have  them.  Other  denominations  have.  Our  ranks 
are  recruited  more  largely  than  most  denominations,  from  the  poor, 
despised,  and  ignorant  of  this  world,  and  while  we  ought  to  regard  this 
as  an  especial  favor  from  God,  we  ought  also,  as  a  denomination,  to 
emulate  him  to  whom  flocked,  in  his  day,  the  same  classes,  and  who  was, 
preeminently,  "  Teacher." 

We  ought  to  allow  no  room  for  the  slur  that  the  blind  lead  the 
blind,  because  none  but  the  blind  would  be  led  by  the  blind.  We  have 
no  present  need  for  colleges.  What  we  need  is  a  number  of  modest  and 
sensibly  conducted  academies ;  one  at  the  terminus  of  the  Canadian  Pa- 
cific Railwaj^  one  at  the  center  of  the  Puget  Sound  Basin,  and  one  mid- 
way between  the  Sound  and  the  Columbia. 

(2)  We  ought  to  feel  the  need  of  these  schools.  When  we  do,  they 
will  spring  into  existence  and  show  vitality.  Our  Father  will  raise  them 
up  in  response  to  the  felt  need,  and  he  will  sustain  them  b}^  our 
Christian  affection  for  them  and  for  their  work.  God  will  bless  our 
consecrated  willingness  by  providing  pupils,  teachers,  equipment,  and 
support. 

(3)  There  is  the  germ  of  a  school  here  at  Centralia,  an  actual  school, 
though  only  in  the  germ.  It  has  been  maintained  with  encouraging  suc- 
cess for  three  months  of  the  past  year.  Its  trustees  now  have  in  view 
an  excellent  teacher  from  the  East,  a  graduate  of  our  University  at 
Rochester,  who  looks  favorably  upon  the  opening,  and  whose  services 
can  probably  be  secured  if  the  attitude  of  the  Baptists  of  this  Associ- 
ation toward  the  seminary  is  that  of  hearty,  co-operative  sympathy. 
The  trustees  believe  that  the  financial  prosperity  of  the  school  depends 
upon  its  excellence,  rather  than  its  excellence  upon  its  financial  prosperity. 

The  best  institutions  of  learning  of  the  present  day  have  grown 
up  out  of  poverty,  upon  a  foundation  of  consecrated  exertion  and  prayer. 

(4)  Duty  calls  constantly  to  do  what  we  can.  Without  loss  of  time 
suitable  school  sites  should  be  selected  and  secured  for  the  middle  and 
lower  Sound  waters.  Where  we  have  a  school  begun  it  should  receive 
all  the  inducement,  encouragement,  and  assistance  the  Association  and 
churches  and  brethren  can  give  it. 

In  this  connection  we  offer  the  following  resolution : 
Resolved,   That   Grace    Seminary   has   our    full   and    hearty    approval 
and  sympathy,  and  we  recommend  it  to  the  denomination,  both   on  this 
coast  and   in   the   East,   as   a   worthy   object   of   liberal   benefaction   and 
support. 


382       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

As  regards  the  formation  of  a  corporation  to  take  general  charge 
of  educational  interests,  j'our  committee  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  time 
is  not  ripe  for  such  a  movement. 

Roger    S.    Greene,    Chairman. 

C.    H.    Hanford, 
Daniel  Roudebush. 

In  March,  1885,  a  school  had  been  started  in  the  Baptist  church 
at  Centralia,  and  had  continued  for  four  months  under  Miss  Lizzie 
Roudebush  as  teacher. 

In  1886  the  Association  still  adhered  to  its  plan  and  passed  the 
following  preamble  and  resolution: 

Whereas,  We  have  a  valuable  property  at  Centralia,  held  by  a 
Board  of  Trustees  for  educational  purposes,  therefore  be  it 

Resolved.  That  we  are  anxious  to  foster  the  enterprise  and  recom- 
mend the  Educational  Committee  of  this  Association  to  co-operate  with 
the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Grace  Seminary  in  such  efforts  as  may  be 
necessary  to  foster  and  develop  that  enterprise. 

In  1887  the  following  report  wa-s  adopted  by  the  Association: 

REPORT  OF   EDUCATION 

]Many  departments  of  our  work  are  demanding  men  and  money  to 
push  them  forward,  but  none  are  farther  in  the  background  than  our 
prospects  for  Baptist  schools  of  higher  education. 

At  Vancouver.  B.  C,  through  the  efforts  of  Rev.  R.  Lennie,  we 
have  secured  to  our  denomination  the  offer  of  a  valuable  site  for  an 
academy. 

At  Seattle  we  can  have  a  good  property  on  which  to  build  a  college 
or  university  for  the  accepting. 

At  Centralia  we  have  fourteen  acres  of  beautiful  land  which  is  well 
located  in  the  heart  of  a  great  countrj^,  and  within  the  limits  of  the 
best  town  between  Tacoma  and  Portland.  But  if  we  would  have  our 
own  schools,  we  must  build  them. 

We  must  get  the  men  to  push  forward  the  work,  and  the  Baptists 
of  this  Association  must  expect  to  furnish  the  money  with  which 
to  do  the  work,  if  we  would  have  Baptist  schools  within  our  limits. 

Will   we  try  to   secure  the   men   and  money  needed? 

M.  M.  Lewis,  Chairman. 

A.    W.    JONES. 

An  extract  from  the  report  of  1888  gives  the  status  of  the  edu- 
cational work  with  clear  vision  as  follows: 

Our  status,  stated  in  a  word,  is  this : 

During  the  years  1883  and  1884,  as  gathered  from  our  minutes,  a 
Board  of  Trustees  of  Grace  Seminary  was  formed  and  thereupon  came 
into  possession,  by  purchase,  of  a  most  eligible  site,  consisting  of  ten 
acres  in  the  village  of  Centralia.  This  was  enlarged  by  donation  to 
about  fifteen  acres.  The  mortgage  for  the  balance  of  the  purchase  price 
becoming  due,  in  the  sum  of  about  $400,  was  lifted  by  its  indorser,  our 


GRACE   SEMINARY  383 

kinsman  in  Jesus,  R.  S.  Greene,  who  holds  the  tract  ad  interim,  subject 
to  the  purpose  and  direction  of  said  Board.  Nothing  further  has  been 
done,  other  than  semispasmodic  appeals  from  the  local  community  for 
the  Baptists  to  put  into  execution  their  once  earnest  and  exhilarating 
promises. 

At  Seattle  a  five-acre  tract  was  heretofore  set  apart  for  a  Baptist 
institution  on  a  site  to  be  chosen,  if  it  be  accepted  with  bona-fide 
purpose  beyond  contingent  failure  of  occupancy  for  tlie  purposes  named. 
Meanwhile  "  time  and  tide  wait  for  no  man,"  and  while  the  echoes  of  our 
question,  "What  are  you  going  to  do  about  it?"  linger  on  the  silent 
air,  your  committee  suggests  that  it  is  time  we  ceased  dreaming,  hoping, 
waiting,  reporting,  and  discussing,  and  here  and  now  forthwith  appoint  a 
committee  to  tell  us  what  to  do,  where  to  do,  when  to  do,  and  how  to 

P.  L.  Ludlow^  Chairman  of  Committee. 

In  1889  the  Puget  Sound  Association  gave  its  sanction  to  the 
following  proposition  made  by  the  Educational  Committee  of  the 
Northwest  Baptist  Convention,  which  had  been  appointed  by  the 
Convention  in  1888  with  authority  to  act,  namely: 

1.  That  the  property  now  owned  by  the  Grace  Seminary  corporation 
be  deeded  over  to  the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention. 

2.  That  good  and  reliable  subscriptions  be  secured  in  the  city  and 
adjacent  country  to  the  amount  of  $10,000,  for  the  erecting  of  a 
building. 

3.  That  we  pledge  the  denomination  to  erect  a  building  of  the  full 
value  of  the  sum  subscribed  and,  thereafter,  to  maintain  an  academy, 
and  to  raise  at  the  earliest  possible   date  $10,000  endowment. 

4.  That  a  local  Board  of  Trustees  should  be  elected  to  act  in  con- 
nection with  the  Board  of  Control  raised  by  the  Convention,  in  accord 
with  the  provision  made  by  the  articles  of  incorporation. 

This  proposition,  as  a  whole,  was  accepted  by  the  Grace 
Seminary  Board,  the  "  Northwest  Baptist  Educational  Society  "  was 
incorporated,  the  local  Board  appointed,  the  property  deeded  over 
to  the  Convention,  as  stipulated,  and  Grace  Seminary,  heretofore 
but  a  private  corporation,  became  the  property  of  the  Northwest 
Baptist  Convention,  which  became  responsible  for  the  maintenance 
of  the  school.  The  members  of  the  Educational  Board  of  the  Con- 
vention were:  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  D.  D.,  president,  Tacoma;  Rev. 
S.  W.  Beaven,  secretary,  Centralia ;  C.  A.  Cavender,  treasurer,  Ta- 
coma; Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  D.  D.,  Seattle;  James  D.  Minkler,  M.  D.. 
Centralia ;  D.  M.  Ross,  Puyallup ;  Rev.  Thos.  Baldwin.  Seattle ; 
Thomas  Haughton,  Victoria ;  Rev.  J.  Sunderland,  and  Rev.  Knut 
Nelson,  Seattle;  Hons.  N.  W.  Battle  and  R.  S.  Greene,  Seattle;  B. 
W.  Johns,  Olympia;  Rev.  R.  T.  Grey,  LaConner;  and  Richard  Hol- 
yoke,  Seattle.  The  members  of  the  local  Board  of  Trustees  were : 
Henry  Hanson,  president;  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven,  secretary;  J.  A. 
Miller,  John  Galvin,  J.  A.  James,  George  Washington,  and  George 
W.  Ellsbury. 

To  indorse  this  transfer,  the  Puget  Sound  Association,  which 
had    hitherto    practically,    though    not    officially,    had    the    seminary 


384       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

under    its    supervision,    passed    the    following   preamble   and    resolu- 
tions : 

In  the  northwestern  extremity  of  this  great  republic,  in  this  fertile 
section  named  after  the  father  of  our  country,  comprising  within  itself 
most  attractive  and  promising  resources  of  agriculture,  mining,  and 
commerce,  there  is  to  be  wrought  a  social  state  largely  dependent 
for  its  permanent  character  upon  the  efforts  of  the  present  generation. 

We,  therefore,  fully  agree  with  the  resolutions  previously  passed  by 
this  and  other  Baptist  bodies  of  western  Washington,  and  present  as 
the  sentiment  of  our  Association  the  following  resolutions : 

Resolved,  That  we  pledge  ourselves  to  earnest,  enthusiastic  support 
of  our  public  school  system,  and  will  faithfully  defend  it  from  atheistic 
or  sectarian  influences,  believing  it  to  be  a  necessary  and  blessed  in- 
fluence imparting  the  fundamental  principles  of  education  alike  to  all. 

Resolved,  That  we  deeply  appreciate  the  importance  of  Christian 
education  for  the  young,  and  especially  in  laying  foundations  for  de- 
nominational growth  in  the  new  West. 

Resolved,  That  we  regard  the  thorough  Christian  academy  the 
most  important  Christianizing  medium  through  which  our  young  men 
and  women  may  be  aroused  to  the  possibilities  of  life  at  its  most 
critical  choosing  period. 

Resolved,  That  we  note  with  devout  thanksgiving  and  enlarged 
hopes  the  remarkably  enthusiastic  efforts  in  behalf  of  Grace  Seminary 
at  Centralia  by  which  $10,000  has  been  pledged  to  erect  a  building  the 
present  season  for  a  well-equipped  academy  upon  the  pledge  of  the  North- 
west Baptist  Educational  Society  to  maintain  therein  a  school  for  the 
denomination. 

Resolved,  That  we  now  pledge  our  most  earnest  co-operation  in  the 
effort  to  raise  $10,000  before  July  i,  1890,  as  a  permanent  endowment  for 
Grace  Seminar}'. 

Rev.  a.  a.  Whitam,  Chairman. 

Mrs.  E.  M.  Bliss, 

D.  J.  Pierce. 

From  the  Grace  Seminary  catalogue  for  1890  and  1891  we 
quote : 

The  founding  of  the  seminary  properly  dates  from  the  acceptance  of 
the  above  proposition  by  the  Educational  Board,  and  the  responsibility 
of  the  denomination  commenced  then,  the  work  as  then  undertaken 
being  essentially  a  new  work  and  under  new  auspices.  From  this  time 
the  work  has  been  pushed  with  zeal  and  earnestness.  Pending  the 
completion  of  the  building,  teachers  were  employed,  temporary  quarters 
secured,  and  all  the  departments  of  the  school  opened,  the  denomination 
thus  more  than  meeting  its  pledges. 

Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Centralia, 
and  treasurer  and  secretary  of  the  Educational  Board,  was  placed  in 
charge  of  the  work  of  preparing  the  ground  and  erecting  the  building. 
This  burden,  in  addition  to  his  work  as  a  pastor,  proving  too  great 
before  the  completion  of  the  building,  he  was  compelled  by  failing  health 
to  ask  that  he  be  relieved.  The  Educational  Board  then  appointed  Rev. 
J.  C.  Baker  as  financial  agent,  and  gave  to  him  the  direction  of  the 
work.  The  building  is  now  completed  except  the  third  floor,  which  will 
be  finished  before  the  opening  of  the  school  in  September,  and  was 
formally  dedicated  June  10,  1890.    The  financial  agent.  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker, 


GRACE    SEMINARY  385 

at  the  time  of  the  dedication,  made  the  following  statement :  Cost  of 
building  and  improvements  to  date,  $12,692.26.  Cost  of  building  to  date, 
$11,850.90.  The  upper  story  of  the  building  remains  to  be  finished  at 
an  estimated  cost  of  $1,200,  which  will  make  the  building  cost  $13,040.90. 
Endowment  to  date,  $3,600.     Value  of  building  and  grounds,  $20,000. 

THE   SEMINARY   BUILDING 

The  building  known  as  Grace  Seminary  is  one  of  the  finest  school 
buildings  in  the  State  of  Washington  or  on  the  Northwest  Coast.  It  is 
beautiful  for  situation,  as  its.  location  on  an  eminence  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  city  affords  a  view  of  the  city  and  the  surrounding  country 
which  cannot  be  surpassed.  The  building  is  three  stories  high,  with  a 
basement  a  full  story  in  height.  In  the  basement  are  a  dining-room, 
kitchen,  pantry,  woodroom,  laundry,  two  bathrooms,  and  four  chambers. 

On  the  second  floor  are  the  studio,  society  hall,  one  classroom,  and 
six  chambers,  while  the  third  floor  will  be  occupied  entirely  by  chambers. 

The  exterior  view  of  the  building  is  beautiful,  and  the  interior 
view  is  even  more  striking.  It  is  finished  throughout  in  natural  wood, 
oiled  and  varnished,  and  presents  a  pleasing  and  beautiful  eflfect. 

Boarding  accommodations  are  provided  in  the  building  for  a  num- 
ber of  students,  who  can  here  have  a  pleasant  and  delightful  home. 
The  teachers  occupy  rooms  in  the  building,  and  will  have  charge  of  the 
students,  thus  the  best  possible  care  and  attention  will  be  given  to  all 
who  room  in  the  building. 

In  1890  the  report  gave  a  most  hopeful  outlook  for  Grace 
Seminary,  and  the  Association  pledged  its  undivided  interest  and 
support  as  follows : 

REPORT    OF     COMMITTEE    ON     EDUCATION 

Your  Committee  on  Education  would  report  that  the  past  year  has 
been  one  of  unparalleled  progress  in  educational  work.  All  over  the 
land  great  interest  and  enthusiasm  has  been  shown  in  educational 
matters,  and  educational  questions  have  received  an  unusual  share  of 
attention.  In  our  denominational  work  the  year  has  brought  increase  of 
endowment,  erection  of  new  buildings,  enlarged  facilities,  and  founding 
of  new  schools.  Every  heart  must  be  thrilled  by  the  success  of  the 
gigantic  enterprise  of  founding  at  Chicago  a  university  with  an  endow- 
ment of  $1,200,000. 

We  have  great  reasons  for  thankfulness  because  of  the  erection 
of  Grace  Seminary  Building,  and  the  founding  of  a  school  that  promises 
much  for  the  future  prosperity  of  the  denomination.  Perhaps  no  more 
important  than  any  other  of  the  denominational  schools,  yet  it  is  located 
upon  our  own  field,  and  is  consequently  of  more  interest  to  us.  The 
trustees  of  this  institution  have  just  made  arrangements  for  the  coming 
year  by  employing  an  able  and  efficient  faculty  and  providing  for  the 
completion  of  and  furnishing  the  building.  We  believe  that  the  founding 
and  support  of  Christian  schools  is  one  of  the  great  demands  upon  the 
Christian  church.  The  heart  and  the  intellect  should  be  developed 
together,  and  this  cannot  be  done  in  schools  from  which  the  Bible  is 
excluded,  and  where  scoffers,  skeptics,  infidels,  and  Spiritualists  are 
instructors.  We  believe  the  Christian  school  is  the  safeguard  of  Amer- 
ican institutions.  We  recommend  that  we  remember  our  schools  in  our 
prayers,  and  by  our  interest  and  attention  endeavor  to  develop  them  to 
the  highest  degree  of  usefulness ;  that,  as  far  as  possible  we  entrust  to 
them  the  education  of  our  sons  and  daughters ;  that  the  pastor  of  the 
field  during  the  year  preach  at  least  one  educational  sermon.  That  we 
z 


386       BAPTIST    HISTORV    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

pledge  to  the  trustees  of  the  Northwest  Baptist  Educational  Society  our 
heartiest  support  toward  the  completion  of  Grace  Seminary  and  securing 
at   least  $10,000   endowment.  3    ^^    Beaven,   Chairman. 

In  1891  we  are  on  the  danger  line  of  the  Baptist  educational  work 
in  the  Northwest  Convention.  The  report  adopted  by  the  Associ- 
ation was  written  by  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  D.  D.,  and  we  quote  the 
part  referring  to  educational  interests  on  this  field : 

We  note  with  pleasure  the  high  character  of  our  school  at  Centralia. 
The  excellent  quality  of  work  done  by  Pres.  E.  T.  Trimble  and  his 
efficient  associates  and  the  liberal  patronage  the  school  has  received 
from  the  city  of  Centralia  and  from  the  State  at  large. 

We  also  note  with  pleasure  the  wise  decision  of  the  Educational 
Board  to  erect  the  much-needed  building,  to  remove  the  present  indebted- 
ness, and  to  provide  an  endowment  of  $10,000.  In  behalf  of  the  Board, 
we  iDespeak  for  the  financial  secretary  a  hearty  co-operation  of  all  the 
pastors  and  the  churches.  We  rejoice  in  the  cordial  reception  given 
our  secretary  in  Tacoma,  resulting  already  in  the  raising  of  nearly 
$5,000  in  that  city. 

We  furthermore  rejoice  in  the  kindly  feeling  manifested  toward  this 
movement  in  all  our  churches,  which  assures  us  that  all  the  balance  of 
$15,000  sought  for  will  be  cheerfully  contributed. 

We  furthermore  note  with  great  pleasure  the  success  attending  the 
efforts  of  the  financial  secretary,  Rev.  James  Sunderland,  in  securing  land 
and  money  for  the  establishing  of  our  university  at  Seattle. 

In  1892  the  Association  congratulated  the  faculty  on  the  efficient 
and  faithful  work  of  the  year.  The  faculty  consisted  of:  Prof.  E.  T. 
Trimble,  A.  M.,  president;  Mrs.  E.  T.  Trimble,  preceptress;  Miss 
Jennie  M.  Baker,  principal  of  the  art  department;  Mrs.  D.  A.  B. 
Swasey,  director  of  music.  Mrs.  A.  F.  Cruttenden,  matron.  There 
were  sixty-eighty  students  enrolled  in  the  academic  department, 
sixty-seven  in  the  art  department,  and  fifty-nine  in  the  music  depart- 
ment. Deducting  forty-five  for  names  in  more  than  one  depart- 
ment, we  find  the  total  enrolment -of  one  hundred  and  forty-nine. 
This  was  the  brightest  year  in  the  history  of  Grace  Seminary,  and  the 
commencement  was  a  most  notable  event  both  for  the  city  and  for 
the  Baptist  denomination  on  the  Northwest  Coast. 


CHAPTER  IV 

NORTH  PACIFIC  UNIVERSITY 
I 892- I 896 

Iiicorporaied  in  1892.  On  the  danger  line.  Pledge  recalled.  Insidious  plans. 
Good  men  caught.  A  large  map  with  no  scale  of  miles.  Indorsements.  Agencies. 
Struck  the  rock.  An  air  relief-ship.  Holy  Spirit  not  in  the  real-estate  business.  A 
proposition.  A  university  in  the  air.  A  tangle.  Puget  Sound  Association  closing 
up  educational  work. 

The  "  North  Pacific  University  "  was  incorporated  in  1892,  and 
an  effort  was  being  made  to  unify  all  Baptist  educational  institutions 
under  one  administration  governed  by  the  new  corporation.  The 
Puget  Sound  Association  having  control  of  educational  work  at  this 
date,  indorsed  this  action  by  saying :  "  We  recognize  with  pleasure 
the  effort  now  being  made  to  unify  all  our  institutions  under  one 
general  administration,  but  we  still  recognize  our  special  responsi- 
bility for  the  support  of  Grace  Seminary."  This  closes  the  historical 
relation  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association  to  Grace  Seminary,  leaving 
the  denomination  with  a  flourishing  school,  and  pledged  in  every 
legitimate  and  Christlike  way  to  its  maintenance. 

In  our  record  of  1891  we  have  spoken  of  having  reached  the 
danger  line.  By  this  I  mean  a  departure  from  recognized  and  re- 
peated obligations  to  put  the  whole  denominational  strength  and 
resources  behind  Grace  Seminary  until  the  school  was  too  well 
equipped  to  be  permanently  affected  by  any  other  effort  thought  to 
be  necessary  in  educational  lines.  The  danger  arose  largely  from  the 
speculative  spirit  of  the  times  indicated  by  that  undefinable  word 
"  boom."  That  brethren  should  have  different  views  and  local  pre- 
possessions upon  so  great  a  subject  as  that  of  locating  schools  for 
Christian  education  is  not  strange,  and  no  one  questions  their  right 
to  hold  and  state  such  views ;  but  to  be  so  far  carried  away  by  the 
force  of  a  "  boom "  as  to  forget  Christian  obligations,  and  to  im- 
peril the  cause  one  loves  and  has  been  prominent  in  promoting,  is  a 
condition  of  things  greatly  to  be  lamented,  and  certainly  to  be 
av^oided  by  Christian  men.  Yet,  good  and  godly  men  were  caught 
in  this  net  set  by  Satan  to  gather  in  some  of  the  strongest  and  best 
men  of  the  Baptist  brotherhood.  His  design  was  to  destroy,  if 
possible,  the  plan  adopted  by  the  Baptists  in  1883  to  promote  Christian 
education  on  this  great  and  important  field.  How  insidious  were  his 
plans,  and  with  what  success  he  worked,  will  appear  more  clearly  if 
we  restate  the  proposed  plans  of  Baptists  of  1883,  which  were  simply : 

To  plant  three  academic  schools,  one  in  southwestern  Wash- 
ington, one  near  the  center  of  the  Puget   Sound  Basin,  and  one  in 

387 


388       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

British  Columbia,  to  be  located  by  the  brethren  in  that  province. 
These  schools  were  to  be  located  and  established  as  the  Lord  opened 
the  way:  first,  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  denomination  as  the  country 
developed;  and,  secondly,  to  become  feeders  to  a  university  afterward 
to  be  established  at  a  point  later  to  be  determined  by  the  development 
of  centers  of  population.  The  simple  analysis  of  this  plan  is,  first, 
three  schools  as  the  Lord  shall  open  the  way ;  secondly,  one  college  or 
university  when  needed,  into  which  these  academies  should  pour  their 
students  ready  and  eager  for  richer  and  higher  development.  To 
this  plan  our  denomination  was  pledged. 

In  the  following  extract  from  the  minutes  of  the  Northwestern 
Association  for  1889,  Doctor  Pierce  gives  his  personal  view  of  this 
pledge,  voicing  very  largely  the  denominational  view : 

Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  followed  with  a  history  of  Grace  Seminary  from 
its  first  inception  in  1883  to  the  recent  enthusiastic  movement  by  which 
a  building  costing  $10,000  is  assured  in  three  months  on  property  valued 
at  $12,000,  upon  condition  that  an  academy  be  sustained  there  by  the 
Baptist  denomination.  He  urged  the  churches  to  think  of  no  other  school 
until  this  was  provided  with  a  $10,000  endowment,  and  suggested  the 
erection  of  a  cottage  by  each  church  on  the  grounds  in  Centralia,  to  be 
rented   for   the   benefit   of   the   seminary. 

In  showing  how  this  plan  was  defeated,  it  must  be  understood 
that  no  insidious  reflection  is  to  attach  to  any  person  or  corporation 
involved.  The  "  boom."  like  a  devilfish,  only  with  longer  tentacles 
and  more  of  them,  had  most  of  us  in  its  grasp,  whether  we  would 
or  not. 

Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  one  of  whose  characteristics  was  to  map  out 
great  plans  for  the  future,  secured  an  agreement  with  persons  on  the 
east  side  of  Lake  Washington  to  bond  for  a  Baptist  university  one 
hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land,  which  was  published  broadcast  as 
worth  from  $40,000  to  $125,000.  Coupled  with  this  was  a  verbal 
offer  from  some  source  of  $10,000  in  brick  or  cash  to  be  available 
when  the  land  was  legally  bonded. 

There  were  then  three  Baptist  churches  in  Seattle:  the  First,  the 
North,  and  the  Market  Street;  their  pastors  being,  respectively.  Rev. 
G.  J.  Burchett,  Rev.  Thomas  Baldwin,  and  Rev.  I.  W.  Read.  Those 
pastors  fell  in  with  the  new  scheme  to  build  a  university,  and  carried 
many  of  their  members  with  them.  The  "  Northwest  Baptist  Educa- 
tional Society,"  a  child  of  the  Northwest  Convention,  gave  its  indorse- 
ment ;  and,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  "  American  Baptist  Educa- 
tional Society  "  gave  its  indorsement,  also,  to  this  wild  scheme.  That 
godly  man.  Rev.  J.  Sunderland,  who  was  then  acting  as  general  mis- 
sionary for  Washington,  was  made  to  believe  that  it  was  his 
duty  to  resign  and  to  accept  the  agency  of  the  "  Northwest  Baptist 
Educational  Society,"  and  of  the  "  American  Baptist  Educational 
Society,"  each  sharing  equally  in  his  salary  of  $2,000  per  annum 
and    necessary    expenses.      He    secured,    conditionally,    the    bond- 


NORTH    PACIFIC    UNIVERSITY  389 

ing  of  some  of  the  land  promised  to  Brother  Pierce,  and  also  some 
conditional  pledges.  The  record  shows  that  he  served  about  half  the 
year,  and  that  the  American  Baptist  Educational  Society  paid  him 
about  $566,  He  then  resigned  and  accepted  the  appointment  of  the 
American  Baptist  Missionary  Union  as  district  secretary  for  the 
Pacific  Coast.  Afterward,  Rev.  I.  W.  Read,  pastor  of  the  Market 
Street  Church,  was  employed  by  the  Board  of  the  Northwest  Baptist 
Educational  Church  at  a  salary  of  $3,000  a  year. 

The  author  thinks  this  movement  was  the  rock  on  which  Grace 
Seminary  foundered,  because  it  changed  the  plan  by  putting  the 
university  foremost.  The  "  boom  "  was  on.  Everything  was  large ; 
but  nothing  too  large  to  be  undertaken,  either  by  the  world  or  by  the 
church.  Then  a  rumor  was  floating  in  the  air  that  John  D.  Rocke- 
feller and  a  few  of  his  friends  had  invested  largely  in  real  estate  on 
the  east  side  of  Lake  Washington  and  were  going  to  invest  a  few 
million  dollars  there  in  improvements,  such  as  steel  works,  smelters, 
nail  works,  etc.,  just  to  show  people  how  money  would  grow  if  planted 
in  the  right  kind  of  soil.  Of  course  the  soil  there  was  the  right 
kind,  or  Mr.  Rockefeller  and  his  fellow-investors  would  not  have  put 
their  money  there.  The  brethren  who  speculated  in  this  real  estate, 
however,  were  doomed  to  disappointment.  Their  hearts  were  bur- 
dened and  their  pockets  were  disburdened  before  they  learned  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  could  not  be  made  a  partner  in  the  real-estate  business. 
Many  brethren,  both  in  the  ministry  and  out  of  it,  learned  this  lesson 
in  those  "  boom "  days  to  their  sorrow.  Although  this  university 
scheme  was  a  gigantic  farce  and  failure,  yet,  while  it  was  being 
promoted,  it  affected  Grace  Seminary  because  it  practically  shut 
Grace  Seminary  out  of  Seattle  in  its  canvass  for  funds.  If  a 
thorough  canvass  of  Seattle  could  have  been  made,  with  suitable  en- 
couragement from  the  pastors  of  the  leading  Baptist  churches,  when 
the  rest  of  the  States  was  canvassed,  it  would  easily  have  freed 
Grace  Seminary  from  debt. 

At  one  time,  when  the  author  was  the  financial  agent  for  Grace 
Seminary,  under  the  direction  of  the  trustees,  he  completed  and 
furnished  the  building  from  the  basement  and  kitchen  to  the  third 
floor  dormitory,  with  bedroom  sets,  including  mattresses  and  heaters, 
with  musical  instruments  of  standard  make,  the  art  room  with 
all  necessary  paraphernalia,  the  kitchen  and  dining-room  with  all 
necessary  furniture,  table  cutlery,  ranges,  linen,  etc.,  of  quality  suit- 
able for  family  use.  After  all  this  outlay,  but  $5,000  was  required 
to  free  from  debt  the  entire  property,  which  had  cost  $18,000  without 
reckoning  the  value  of  eleven  acres  of  land  which  had  been  donated 
for  a  campus.  The  agent  had  been  ordered  to  plot  the  land,  lying  at 
the  foot  of  the  hill  on  which  the  seminary  was  built,  and  extending  to 
the  city.  He  had  an  opportunity  to  sell  this  plot  for  $4,500,  with 
one  quarter  paid  down  in  cash,  and  such  securities  as  he  could  have 
made  available  to  pay  the  debt  to  the  amount  of  the  sale.     Since  the 


390       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

way  was  not  open  for  a  successful  canvass  of  Seattle  to  clear  off  the 
indebtedness,  he  thought  it  would  be  wise  to  sell  the  land,  feeling  sure 
that  he  could  secure  the  other  $500  easily  when  the  rest  had  been 
provided  for.  He  called  the  Board  of  Trustees  together  and  pressed 
the  sale,  but  they  were  not  willing  to  order  the  transfer,  and  instead 
$5,000  had  to  be  borrowed  on  the  property  to  pay  all  obligations. 
This  was  done  because  the  brethren  thought  that  the  land,  if  sold  in 
lots,  would  net  more ;  but  the  "  boom  "  burst  before  this  could  be  done ; 
values  fell  off;  and  Grace  Seminary  was  doomed.  Had  there  not 
been  a  university  in  the  air,  the  writer  believes  that  Grace  Seminary 
.would  have  become  a  flourishing  school,  of  which  all  Baptists  would 
have  been  proud,  and  if  this  had  been  a  success  it  would  have  paved 
the  way  for  success  in  the  next  effort  to  carry  out  the  plan.  One 
flourishing  school  would  have  been  a  most  valuable  asset  to  inspire 
courage  for  undertaking  the  next. 

Another  thing  which  the  author  thinks  stood  in  the  way  of 
the  success  of  our  educational  work  was  the  inextricable  tangle  into 
which  the  rank  and  file  of  the  denomination  fell  by  reason  of  the 
confusion  caused  by  the  number  of  long-drawn-out  incorporations 
into  the  charge  of  which  one  after  another  of  our  educational  plans 
.were  put.     First  was  the 

Incorporation   of  the   Northwest   Baptist   Convention 

The  Northwest  Baptist  Convention  was  incorporated  in  1888. 
The  object  stated  was: 

To  extend,  encourage,  and  maintain  home  and  foreign  missions, 
ministerial  and  general  education,  the  circulation  of  the  Bible  and  re- 
ligious literature;  to  organize,  hold,  manage,  mortgage,  lease,  sell,  convey, 
or  dispose  of  property  of  every  kind  and  description. 

By  this  the  Convention  is  legally  authorized  to  handle  all  classes 
and  grades  of  schools  attempted  under  denominational  auspices.  By 
these  articles  too,  the  Convention  is  legally  and  morally  bound  to  pay 
by  its  authorized  agents,  be  they  trustees,  or  Boards,  committees,  in 
full  all  the  obligations  it  assumes,  whether  by  vote  of  the  body  or 
agents. 

The  Northwest  Baptist  Convention  was  organized  September  I, 
1888.  In  this  meeting  the  subject  of  education  was  discussed  by  the 
ministers,  but  there  seems  to  have  been  no  official  action  taken,  and 
yet,  at  the  second  annual  meeting  of  the  Convention,  held  at  Olympia, 
August  29  to  September  i,  1889,  a  Board  of  Management,  which  it 
appears,  had  been  appointed  and  instructed  the  previous  year,  made 
the  following  report  by  their  secretary,  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven,  as 
secretary  of  the  "  Northwest  Baptist  Educational  Society,"  which 
had  been  incorporated  that  year  under  instructions  given  by  the  Con- 
vention : 


NORTH    PACIFIC    UNIVERSITY  39I 

Your  Board  would  beg  leave  to  report  on  the  assembling  of  the 
Board  of  Management  immediately  at  the  close  of  the  Convention  at 
Seattle,  in  accordance  with  the  instructions  received  from  the  Convention 
to  form  an  Educational  Board,  which  should  have  power  to  incorporate 
and  to  act  on  behalf  of  the  Convention  to  receive  property,  to  transact 
any  business  in  connection  with  the  organization,  and  carrying  forward 
the  educational  work  within  the  bounds  of  this  Convention.  In  accord- 
ance with  such  instructions,  the  following-named  persons  were  chosen 
to  act  as  such  Board:  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  D.  D.,  D.  J.  Pierce,  D.  D., 
M.  I.  Rugg,  S.  W.  Beaven,  and  Judge  N.  W.  Battle. 

Several  offers  of  land  were  made  at  various  points  to  locate  a 
school,  two  of  them  for  a  university,  but  none  of  them  of  such  a 
character  as  to  warant  the  Educational  Board  in  pledging  the 
Convention  to  plant  a  university. 

One  offer  from  Centralia  was  being  favorably  considered.  A 
nucleus  for  a  Baptist  school  had  been  started  as  a  private  school  kept 
by  Miss  Lizzie  Roudebush.  From  this  small  beginning  a  desire  had 
grown  among  the  Baptists  to  have  a  permanent  Baptist  institution 
located  at  that  place ;  and  interested  persons  had  secured  eleven 
acres  of  land  for  that  purpose.  The  land  v^^as  held  by  the  trustees 
of  a  corporation  under  the  corporate  name  of  "  Grace  Seminary." 
The  necessary  preliminary  steps  had  been  taken  that  led  up  to  the 
following  proposition  from  the  Convention  Board  to  fhe  citizens  of 
Centralia : 

First,  that  the  property  now  owned  by  the  trustees  of  Grace 
Seminary  should  be  turned  over  to  the  Northwestern  Baptist  Educational 
Society  of  Washington   Territory. 

Secondly,  that  good  and  reliable  subscriptions  be  secured  to  the 
amount  of  $10,000,  $5,000  of  which  should  be  in  cash,  payable  in  thirty, 
sixty,  and  ninety  days  after  work  commenced,  and  the  remaining  $5,000 
in  real  estate,  at  a  value  fixed  by  a  committee  appointed  for  that  purpose ; 
the  committee  pledging  themselves,  on  behalf  of  the  Convention,  to  open 
and  permanently  maintain  an  institution  of  learning  as  soon  as  the 
building  should   be   completed  and   furnished. 

It  appearing  probable  that  the  offer  would  be  accepted,  your  com- 
mittee deemed  it  wise  to  be  ready  to  receive  and  hold  property,  and  to 
this  end  they  requested  Judge  R.  S.  Greene  to  draw  up  articles  of 
incorporation,  and  your  committee  was  incorporated.  In  accordance  with 
the  articles  of  incorporation,  a  local  Board  of  Trustees  was  appointed 
by  your  Board,  which  should  have  charge  of  the  local  interests  of  the 
school.  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven,  secretary  of  the  Board,  who  had  accepted 
the  pastorate  of  the  church  at  Centralia,  was  appointed  to  represent  the 
Board  of  Managers  on  the  field.  At  .once  arrangements  were  made  for 
clearing  the  ground,  and  plans  were  prepared  for  the  building.  On 
July  I  the  contract  for  the  erection  of  the  building  was  let,  said  building 
to  be  completed  on  or  before  November  i.  The  frame  of  the  building 
IS  now  up,  and  one  payment  is  already  made. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  in  Seattle,  August  7,  Professor  Trimble 
being  present  by  request,  your  committee  made  an  agreement,  subject 
to  the  approval  of  the  Convention,  with  Professor  Trimble  and  wife  to 
take  charge  of  the  school  for  the  coming  year.  In  conclusion,  your  Board 
would  state  that  in  addition  to  what  has  been  stated,  they  have  permitted 
the  opinion  to  prevail   that  the   Convention   would   secure  to   the  school 


39-       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

an  endowment  equal  to  the  amount  the  citizens  of  Centralia  would  expend 
in  the  erection  of  the  building. 

Your  Board  submits  the  articles  of  incorporation,  and  requests  that 
in  accord  with  these  your  Convention  appoint  a  local  Board  of  Trustees 
for  the  coming  year. 

The  proposition  was  accepted  by  the  citizens  of  Centralia,  and 
the  Board  of  Education  was  so  notified.  The  action  of  the  committee 
was  strongly  indorsed  by  the  Convention,  and  further  needful  action 
was  taken  to  carry  out  the  plan. 

In  1883  the  Puget  Sound  Association  having  charge  of  the 
educational  work  at  that  date  instructed  the  Educational  Board  to 
draft  articles  of  incorporation  for  a  Baptist  educational  society  capable 
of  controlling  denominational  schools  that  may  be  organized  within 
our  associational  field.  A  committee,  of  which  Judge  Greene  was  chair- 
man, was  appointed  to  make  this  draft  and  report  at  the  next  meeting 
of  the  Association.  The  following  report  was  adopted,  touching 
the  character  of  the  schools  to  be  undertaken : 

In  regard  to  a  college  or  university,  our  Committee  is  of  the 
opinion  that  all  the  resources  of  th-e  entire  Northwest  should  be  given 
to  the  support  of  a  single  institution,  and  that  such  an  institution  already 
founded,  and  to  some  extent  endowed,  we  have  in  the  college  at  Mc- 
Minnville,  Ore.,  toward  the  maintenance  of  which  we  urge  the  Baptists 
of  the  Association  to  give  their  money  and  their  prayers. 

In  1884  the  committee  says  that  they  have  been  unable  to  settle 
upon  and  report  any  draft  of  articles  of  incorporation  for  an  edu- 
cational society.    They  also  say: 

It  does  not,  at  least  at  present,  seem  advisable  to  work  for  the  founda- 
tion of  a  college  or  university  within  our  associational  field.  McMinnville 
College,  in  Oregon,  will  well  serve  for  our  uses,  and  should  have  our 
cordial  encouragement.  The  schools  within  our  bounds  should,  it  seems 
to  us,  be  academies  merely  introductory  to  a  collegiate  or  university 
course. 

In  1885  the  committee  offered  the  following  resolutions,  which 
are  important  as  showing  the  purpose  of  the  Association  in  educa- 
tional work: 

Resolved,  That  Grace  Seminary  has  our  full  and  hearty  approval 
and  sympathy,  and  we  recommend  it  to  the  denomination,  both  on 
this  coast  and  in  the  East  as  a  worthy  object  of  liberal  benefaction  and 
support. 

Resolved,  That  we  recommend  to  the  churches  and  brethren  to 
petition  God  earnestly  that  he  will  provide  us  liberally  with  such 
schools  as  we  need,  and  make  us  willing  agents  in  his  hands  to  work 
his    will    in    the    matter. 

As  regards  the  formation  of  a  corporation  to  take  general  charge  of 
educational   interests,  your  committee  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  time  is 
not  ripe  for  such  a  movement,  and  it  therefore  submits  no  plan  for  it. 
All   of   which   is   affectionately   submitted, 

Roger  S.  Greene,  Chairman. 
C.   H.   Hanford, 
Daniel  Roudebush, 

Committee. 


NORTH    PACIFIC    UNIVERSITY  393 

In  1886  the  Puget  Sound  Association  gives  to  the  central  school 
further  assurance  of  its  interest  and  fostering  care  in  a  special 
resolution,  as  follows: 

Whereas,  We  have  a  valuable  property  at  Centralia,  held  by  a 
Board  of  Trustees  for  educational  purposes,  therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  we  are  anxious  to  foster  the  enterprise  and  recom- 
mend the  Educational  Committee  of  this  Association  to  co-operate  with 
the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Grace  Seminary  in  such  efforts  as  may  be 
necessary  to  foster  and  develop  that  enterprise. 

This  closes  the  official  relation  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association 
to  the  educational  work.  There  is  no  record  of  further  official  action 
after  the  Association  was  divided  in  1883,  since  the  educational  work 
was  transferred  to  the  Northwest  Convention;  but  the  Association 
never  lost  interest  in  educational  movements,  and  any  action  taken 
was  in  harmony  with  its  previous  history. 

In  1890,  when  the  Association  convened  for  its  annual  meeting  in 
Centralia,  it  was  invited  to  visit  Grace  Seminary  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker, 
the  financial  agent,  on  behalf  of  the  trustees.  The  invitation  was 
accepted,  and  an  afternoon  session  of  great  interest  was  held  in  the 
chapel  of  the  seminary. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  SEATTLE  UXIVERSITY 
1890-1891 

A  university  in  the  air.  Proposed  by  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  D.  D.,  adopted  by  the 
Seattle  Ministerial  Union.  Taken  up  by  the  Educational  Board.  The  Convention 
promises  support.  The  American  Baptist  Educational  Society  lends  aid.  Prominent 
men  serve  as  agents.     Earth  to  earth. 

Historical  investigation  discovers  that  the  Seattle  University  is, 
for  the  most  part,  to  be  found  floating  in  the  air.  In  August,  1890, 
Rev.  D.  J,  Pierce,  D.  D.,  who  was  the  pastor  of  the  church  at  Kirk- 
land,  on  the  east  side  of  Lake  Washington,  presented  to  the  Baptist 
ministers'  meeting  in  Seattle  a  proposition  from  property  owners 
on  the  east  side  of  the  lake  to  found  a  college  or  a  university  there. 
Doctor  Pierce  was  appointed  a  committee  to  examine  the  proposition 
and  report.  He  secured  pledges  of  $10,000  in  brick  and  cash,  and  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land  to  be  bonded  for  that  purpose 
under  stipulated  conditions.  The  proposition  was  favorably  enter- 
tained by  the  ministers  and  reported  to  the  Northwest  Convention  at 
its  session  in  September,  1890.  Here,  an  indorsement  of  the  scheme 
was  secured  by  the  adoption  of  the  recommendation  of  the  Board  of 
Education  of  the  Convention,  which  was  as  follows: 

Whereas,  Munificent  offers  are  now  tendered  to  us  at  Seattle  for 
this  purpose,  amounting  to  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land, 
and  what  is  regarded  as  equivalent  to  $50,000  in  money,  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  this  Convention  express  its  gratitude  that  we  have 
before  us  an  offer  so  generous  as  to  surpass  any  ever  before  made  on 
the  coast  for  such  purposes,  and  such  as  will  probably  never  be  offered 
again ;  and  that  we  most  heartily  indorse  the  efforts  now  being  put 
forth  to  form  a  university  at  Seattle  that  shall  be  worthy  of  our 
denomination. 


After  due  consideration,  your  Educational  Board  proposed 
following  resolution : 


the 


Resolved,  That  we,  the  Board  of  Education  of  the  Northwest  Bap- 
tist Convention,  hereby  rejoice  in  the  present  attempt  to  formulate  a 
Baptist  college  or  university  at  Seattle;  we  are  glad  for  their  present 
degree  of  prosperity,  and  agree  to  give  it  our  moral  support  and  sympathy, 
and  recommend  the  Convention  to  do  the  same,  giving  it  denominational 
position  and  influence;  provided,  however,  that  the  conditions  be  ful- 
filled that  are  expressed  in  the  resolutions  of  the  Ministerial  Union  of 
Seattle. 

The  Seattle  University  Board  of  Trustees  had  been  already  in- 
corporated.    Its  president.  Rev.  G.  J.  Burchett,  made  a  stirring  ad- 

394 


THE   SEATTLE   UNIVERSITY  395 

dress  in  favor  of  the  report.  He  was  seconded  by  Rev.  I.  W.  Read, 
v^^ith  a  hearty  indorsement.  When  Rev.  A.  B.  Banks,  D.  D.,  was 
called  out,  he  expressed  his  fears  lest  the  new  movement  might  ab- 
sorb the  interest  due  to  Grace  Seminary,  whose  financial  condition 
was  first  to  be  considered,  and  its  necessities  met,  before  attempting 
another  school.  The  Convention  was  committed  to  this  policy  by 
previous  action. 

In  June,  1891,  the  question  of  changing  the  site  of  the  Seattle 
University  was  taken  up  by  the  trustees. 

The  site  was  finally  changed  to  the  west  side  of  the  lake,  the 
name  apparently  changed  to  the  "  University  of  Seattle,"  and  the 
Seattle  University,  located  on  the  east  side  of  the  lake,  after  floating 
in  the  air  for  a  few  months,  fell  to  the  earth,  for  it  was  earthy, 
and  was  absorbed  in  its  own  element. 

The  terms  on  which  the  land  had  been  bonded  for  the  uni- 
versity required  that  the  erection  of  the  first  building  should  be 
begun  by  September  i,  1891,  and  the  building  completed  by  September 
I,  1893.  The  only  actual  work  done  toward  fulfilling  these  conditions 
was  the  breaking  of  ground  for  a  building  on  December  24,  1890. 


CHAPTER  VI 

UNIVERSITY  OF  SEATTLE 
1890-1893 

Organization.  Incorporation.  Officers.  Trustees.  Legal  relations.  Location. 
Donations.  Building  erected  by  private  corporation.  School  operating.  Baptist 
faculty.  Class  graduated.  Offer  of  property  to  Convention.  A  sad  charge.  Hazard- 
ous undertaking.     Honor  to  whom  it  is  due.     Causes  of  failure. 

The  University  of  Seattle  was  organized  August  23,  1890,  and 
was  incorporated  under  Baptist  auspices,  with  the  following  officers, 
September  16,  1890:  President,  Rev.  G.  J,  Burchett;  secretary.  Rev. 
D.  J.  Pierce,  D.  D. ;  treasurer,  D.  C.  Brawley.  Executive  Committee : 
C.  A.  Walsh,  Alonzo  Hull,  and  Rev.  I.  W.  Read,  of  Seattle,  and 
Rev.  D.  T.  Richards,  M.  D.,  of  Houghton.  Trustees:  James  Weed, 
Rev.  Thomas  Baldwin,  Hon.  C.  H.  Hanford,  Thomas  Prosch,  and 
Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth,  of  Seattle;  Thomas  Haughton,  of  Victoria;  Rev. 
G.  D.  Downey,  of  Tacoma;  and  B.  L.  Northup,  of  Houghton. 

These  were  the  legal  representatives  of  the  University  of 
Seattle,  which  was  to  be  operated  on  the  west  side  of  Lake  Wash- 
ington. 

Both  money  and  property  had  been  donated  which  was  designed 
to  serve  as  a  foundation  for  the  great  Baptist  university  of  the 
Northwest.  It  is  located  on  the  Rainier  electric-car  line,  five  miles 
from  the  center  of  the  city  of  Seattle,  and  consists  of  twenty-one 
acres  of  land  given  by  Charles  Waters  and  J.  K.  Edminster.  It  is 
beautifully  situated,  overlooking  Lake  Washington,  and  in  full  view 
of  Mount  Rainier  and  Mount  Baker,  and  is  two  blocks  from  the  lake, 
on  which  a  shore  lot  has  been  secured  for  the  use  of  the  school.  Be- 
sides this,  fifty  acres  additional  in  the  neighborhood  had  been  deeded 
to  the  institution,  and  two  acres  had  been  given  for  a  Baptist  church 
and  parsonage.  Twenty  acres  on  the  east  side  of  Lake  Washington 
were  also  donated  to  the  university.  Afterward,  several  city  lots  were 
given;  and  finally,  five  acres  of  plotted  ground  in  the  heart  of  the  city 
of  Seattle  were  set  apart  for  educational  purposes  and  donated  by 
Hon.  Richard  Holyoke,  president  of  the  National  Bank  of  Com- 
merce. Doctor  Pierce  says :  "  All  this  land  had  been  deeded  to  the 
corporation  to  be  sold  or  used  for  the  benefit  of  the  university."  It 
was  so  published  in  the  Pacific  Baptist,  in  the  Seattle  papers,  and  in 
Eastern  Baptist  periodicals. 

This  scheme  was  maturing  under  the  corporation  of  1890,  and 
the  trustees  of  this  corporation  had  secured  pledges  to  the  amount  of 
$18,000,  to  be  paid  five  per  cent  in  1891,  twenty  per  cent  in  1892,  fifty 
per  cent  in  1893,  and  twenty-five  per  cent  in  1894.     All  the  money 

396 


UNIVERSITY    OF    SEATTLE  397 

was  to  be  used  in  erecting  buildings,  the  final  cost  of  which  was  to  be 
$40,000.  The  girls'  dormitory,  costing  $5,000,  was  the  only  building 
erected.  It  was  sixty-two  and  a  half  feet  by  one  hundred  and  one 
and  a  half  feet,  two  stories  high,  with  a  nine-foot  basement,  a  tower 
on  the  southeast  corner  fifty-one  feet  high,  for  the  main  entrance, 
and  a  one-hundred-and-seventy-foot  veranda  on  three  sides  of  the 
building.  On  the  west  side,  connected  with  the  main  building  by  a 
well-covered  and  well-lighted  passageway,  was  an  annex  a  story 
and  a  half  high,  with  kitchen,  pantry,  and  dining-room  on  the  main 
floor,  and  eight  sleeping-rooms  on  the  upper  floor.  There  were 
twenty-six  finished  rooms  in  the  whole  building,  including  a  chapel 
connected  with  two  other  rooms  by  folding  doors,  so  that  when  they 
were  thrown  open  it  would  seat  two  hundred  and  fifty  people.  It 
was  a  good,  substantial,  well-finished  building,  economically  ar- 
ranged and  tasteful  in  appearance. 

In  1892  a  school  was  opened  in  this  building  under  Rev.  D.  J. 
Pierce,  as  principal,  and  Mrs.  Pierce,  his  wife,  as  matron  and  pre- 
ceptress. After  two  years  of  growing  interest  and  hopeful  prospects 
a  small  class  was  graduated  from  the  academic  department,  ready 
for  the  collegiate  course. 

The  influence  of  the  Baptists  in  the  management  of  this  school 
was  strong  from  the  first.  Doctor  Pierce  used  his  influence  and 
position  to  prepare  the  way  to  have  it  incorporated  into  the  edu- 
cational plan  of  the  J^orthwest  Convention,  and  finally  to  become  a 
full-fledged  Baptist  institution.  That  he  succeeded  in  doing  so  is 
evident  from  the  record,  which  shows  that,  in  1896,  this  whole  prop- 
erty was  offered  to  the  Baptist  denomination  for  the  paltry  sum  of 
$2,580.  The  trustees  of  the  University  of  Seattle,  indeed,  required 
but  $580  to  be  paid  in  cash  to  keep  up  the  mortgage  of  $2,000,  which 
could  be  carried  indefinitely  by  the  Convention  if  the  interest  were 
paid. 

Revs.  W.  C.  Weir  and  C.  D.  Spencer,  in  their  report  to  the  Con- 
vention on  education,  said : 

Moreover,  this  offer  is  made  to  the  Convention  absolutely  uncon- 
ditionally. We  may  do  what  we  wish  with  the  property,  use  it  now 
for  a  school,  or  hold  it  over  and  open  our  work  when  and  where  it  suits 
us,  or  sell  it  or  exchange  it — anything  we  please.  We  have  only  to  take 
it  and  meet  those  claims  against  it,  and  it  is  ours  for  Christ.  Your 
committee  considers  this  such  a  favorable  offer  that  nothing  but  sheer 
inability  could  justify  us  in  not  embracing,  and  we  heartily  commend 
it  to  your  most  earnest  consideration. 

Thus  we  might  have  had  an  academy,  a  college,  or  a  university, 
as  the  Convention  should  elect.  Doubtless  the  trustees  of  the  incorpo- 
rated University  of  Seattle  designed  first  to  begin  with  academic 
work,  keeping  in  view  the  college,  and  finally  the  university,  as  the 
demand  for  the  higher  education  developed. 

So  strong  was  the  Baptist  influence  in  the  management  of  this 


398       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

school  from  the  first  that  it  was  recognized  as  the  Baptist  school 
wherever  it  was  known.  The  author  was  a  frequent  visitor  at  the 
school  in  the  two  years  of  its  management  by  Doctor  Pierce  and  his 
devoted  and  intelligent  wife.  It  was  always  called  a  Baptist  school, 
and  had  a  strong  religious  cast.  The  prayer  meeting,  the  Sunday- 
school,  and  Sunday  services  for  worship  were  features  of  the  school; 
conversions  were  frequent,  about  twenty  occurring  in  the  two  years 
the  school  continued.  Some  of  the  most  interesting  and  most 
spiritual  devotional  meetings  the  author  recalls  at  that  time  were 
held  there;  and  he  has  seldom  found  an  equally  spiritual  influence  in 
schools  that  he  has  so  often  been  permitted  to  visit. 

To  show  the  estimate  placed  by  the  denomination  upon  the  work 
of  Doctor  Pierce  and  his  wife  in  the  University  of  Seattle,  we  quote 
from  the  report  of  the  Committee  on  Education  of  the  North- 
western Association  in  1895: 

In  connection  with  that  school,  Dr.  D.  J.  Pierce  and  his  co-laborers 
have  done  another  year's  hard  work.  It  will  be  difficult  for  those  of  us 
who  have  never  seen  the  school  building  and  the  campus,  or  who  have  not 
known  the  many  trials  incident  to  planting  a  new  institution  of  learning 
fairly  to  appreciate  the  sacrifices  and  labors  of  Doctor  and  Mrs.  Pierce, 
in  connection  with  that  institution.  The  wonder  to  your  committee  is 
that  they  have  been  able  to  accomplish  so  much.  They  have  surely  done 
all  they  could  to  make  the  school  a  success,  and  with  this  record  behind 
him.  Doctor  Pierce  and  his  family  sever  their  connection  with  it ;  and 
he  accepts  a  position  as  teacher  in  another  college  in  this  State. 

It  was  no  wonder  that  Doctor  Pierce  and  his  wife  were  heart- 
broken when  the  trustees  decided  to  change  the  management  of  the 
school.  Doctor  Pierce  had  spent  time  and  money  to  start  a  school 
on  the  east  side  of  Lake  Washington  without  even  a  dollar  of  com- 
pensation. He  made  as  great  sacrifices  as  any  one,  and  was  the  sole 
manager  and  principal  promoter  of  that  scheme.  The  interest  that 
was  felt  and  the  possibilities  that  were  seen  in  that  scheme  may  be 
gaged  by  the  fact  that  his  place  was  supplied  by  an  appointed  agent 
at  $2,000  a  year,  and  after  six  months  by  another  at  $3,000  a  year. 
Again,  in  whatever  of  interest  was  felt  by  our  people  in  the  University 
of  Seattle,  he  was  the  prime  mover.  He  M^as  paid  a  meager  salary  as 
a  teacher,  and  when  the  trustees  controlling  the  property  made  their 
final  offer  of  the  property  to  the  denomination,  such  was  his  interest 
that,  rather  than  have  it  refused,  he  offered  to  contract  to  run  the 
school  for  five  years,  taking  the  income  from  tuition  for  his  salary. 
If  any  one  is  to  be  commiserated  for  his  share  in  this  whole  uni- 
versity transaction.  Doctor  Pierce  is  the  man.  If,  as  was  the  manner 
of  some,  its  failure  is  to  be  attributed  to  his  wild  scheming  for  a 
university  a  generation  before  it  was  needed  (?),  then  he  must 
share  the  blame  with  many  of  our  leading  men,  with  our  organized 
bodies,  and  with  the  great  American  Baptist  Educational  Society, 
for  all  of  them  were  drawn  into  the  scheme  and  became  sharers  in 
its  anticipated  glory  and  in  its  final  dissolution. 


UNIVERSITY    OF    SEATTLE  399 

Had  the  University  of  Seattle  been  chartered  as  an  academy  and 
so  maintained,  both  it  and  Grace  Seminary  could  have  been  paid  for 
and  saved  to  the  denomination  free  from  encumbrance.  The  lo- 
cation, in  the  opinion  of  many,  was  not  suitable,  nor  the  time  ripe  for 
a  university,  but  it  was  for  an  academy;  and,  as  an  academy,  the 
denomination  at  large  would  have  accepted  it  and  sustained  it. 

That  the  Convention,  through  its  incorporated  agencies,  had  as- 
sumed responsibility  for  the  school  will  appear  from  the  following 
statement.  At  a  regular  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 
University  of  Seattle,  held  October  lo,  1894,  with  Herbert  S.  Piper 
as  secretary,  it  was 

Resolved,  That  the  University  of  Seattle  petition  the  Northwest 
Baptist  Convention  of  Washington  that  it  be  received,  recognized,  and 
adopted  as  one  of  its  schools,  and  entitled  to  its  fostering  influence 
as  such. 

This  petition  was  presented  to  the  Convention  at  its  annual 
meeting  in  Centralia,  in  October,  1894,  and  after  some  discussion  the 
following  resolution  was  adopted : 

That  this  Convention  receive  the  request  of  the  university  to  be 
recognized  as  a  denominational  school,  and  pledge  it  our  sympathy  and 
substantial  aid  as  far  as  we  can ;  but  it  is  specially  understood  that  the 
Convention  is  in  no  sense  responsible  for  its  present  or  future  debts  as 
an  institution,  and  provided  further  that  this  school  become  a  part  of 
the  North  Pacific  University,  and  subject  to  the  control  thereof. 

Again,  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Convention,  in  1896,  the  com- 
mittee of  fifteen  on  educational  matters  reported  as  follows: 

Resolved,  That  it  is  the  mind  of  this  committee  that  it  would  be  de- 
sirable to  hold  for  the  denomination  the  property  known  as  the  University 
of  Seattle  if  it  can  be  done,  provided  it  shall  be  under  the  management 
of  the  North   Pacific  University. 

Resolved,  secondly.  That  inasmuch  as  the  trustees  of  the  University 
of  Seattle  have  offered  the  property  for  the  maximum  price  of  $2,800,  we 
recommend  that  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed  by  the  Convention 
to  draw  up  articles  for  a  stock  company,  proceed  to  get  subscriptions 
for  the  stock,  purchase  the  property  to  be  managed  by  the  Board  of 
the  North  Pacific  University,  and  turn  over  to  the  Convention  at  actual 
cost  as  soon  as  they  are  able  to  purchase. 

The  Convention  voted  to  adopt  the  report  and  refer  the  matter  to 
the  Executive  Board  of  the  North  Pacific  University  to  carry  it  out. 

It  would,  perhaps,  be  hazardous  for  a  historian  to  state  the  reason 
for  the  failure  of  the  University  of  Seattle,  even  if  he  could  discover 
it.  The  author  is  willing,  however,  to  state  his  belief  in  the  matter, 
based  upon  personal  knowledge  as  well  as  upon  historical  records, 
that  the  failure  was  not  due  to  the  lack  of  ability  in  the  Baptists  of 
the  Northwest  to  provide  the  necessary  funds ;  neither  was  it  due 
to  the  lack  of  an  intense  desire  on  the  part  of  the  brethren  handling 


400       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

it  to  build  up  for  the  denomination  a  school  of  high  grade  at 
Seattle  or  near  it,  offering  an  academic  curriculum  for  its  beginning; 
nor  was  it  due  to  the  lack  of  a  general  denominational  interest  in 
Christian  education.  The  author  is  profoundly  impressed,  however, 
with  the  thought  that  a  reason  should  be  given ;  and  "  with  charity 
for  all,  and  malice  toward  none,"  he  would  say :  In  the  first  place,  the 
"  university  boom  "  was  university  suicide.  For  the  year  1893-1894 
the  school  published  a  fine  catalogue,  which  was  sent  out  to  the 
churches  with  the  words  "  University  of  Seattle "  on  the  title-page, 
giving  a  full  preparatory  and  collegiate  course,  but  with  a  faculty 
which  was  in  reality  barely  sufficient  for  an  academy.  To  those  who 
looked  only  at  the  cover  and  title-page,  it  was  the  catalogue  of  a 
full-blown  university.  Those  who  looked  deeper  found  it  full  of 
mystery,  as  the  transfer  of  the  property  had  not  yet  been  made,  and  it 
was  not  yet  legally  a  Baptist  denominational  school.  A  second  cause 
for  the  failure  was  the  multiplicity  of  corporations  placed  in  control 
of  our  educational  work.  Some  of  these  were  necessary;  but  taken 
altogether,  they  were  to  the  ordinary  mind  mystifying  and  difficult 
to  distinguish. 

First,  we  had  a  Grace  Seminary  Corporation,  with  a  local 
Board,  to  which  was  committed  the  details  of  local  supervision  under 
control  of  the  trustees  of  the  corporation. 

Secondly,  the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention  was  incorporated, 
with  authority  to  control  our  whole  system  of  education. 

Thirdly,  the  Convention  authorized  the  incorporation  of  the 
Northwest  Baptist  Educational  Society  with  power  to  act  and  hold 
property.  To  this  society  should  be  referred  all  matters  relating  to 
the  location  and  conduct  of  schools;  and  without  its  sanction,  no  re- 
sponsibility would  be  assumed  by  the  Convention  for  the  support  of 
any  school. 

Fourthly,  came  the  incorporation  of  the  North  Pacific  Baptist 
University,  which  was  not  a  tmiversity  at  all,  but  a  Board  of  Control 
of  twenty-five  trustees,  created  and  incorporated  by  order  of  the 
Northwest  Baptist  Convention  to  outline  a  system  of  education  which 
should  unify  the  efforts  of  all  Baptist  educational  institutions  within 
the  limits  of  the  Convention.  All  property  held  by  the  Educational 
Society,  including  Grace  Seminary,  was  ordered  transferred  to  the 
North  Pacific  Baptist  University.  When  this  transfer  was  made,  the 
Northwest  Baptist  Educational  Society  was  to  close  up  its  business 
and  dissolve. 

Fifthly,  was  the  incorporation  of  the  Seattle  Baptist  University; 
not  by  the  authority  of  the  Convention,  but  indorsed  by  it.  This 
was  the  floating  scheme  for  the  east  side  of  Lake  Washington,  and 
never  stood  for  a  real  school  or  even  a  real  building.  While  it  was 
in  prospect,  its  advocates  held  the  floor  of  every  Convention,  Associ- 
ation, and  Baptist  gathering  on  the  field.  The  brevity  of  this 
"  university  boom  "  was  its  redeeming  feature. 


UNIVERSITY    OF    SEATTLE  4OI 

Sixthly,  and  last  of  the  incorporations  we  have  to  chronicle,  is 
the  North  Pacific  University,  ordered  by  the  Convention,  receiving  its 
favorable  consideration  and  official  indorsement. 

That  the  rank  and  file  of  our  church-members  should  disentangle 
these  incorporations,  and  define  their  scope  and  duration,  was  too 
much  to  expect  of  ordinary  human  beings.  The  author  never  found 
an  educational  agent  who  could  do  it  without  reference  to  the 
minutes  of  Associations  and  conventions.  If  one  referred  for  expla- 
nation to  the  confusing  published  statements  which  were  so  constantly 
before  our  churches,  he  would  fare  like  a  good  sister  I  knew  in  my 
early  ministry.  She  found  it  difficult  to  pronounce  some  of  the  hard 
.words  in  the  Bible,  and  when  I  commiserated  her,  she  said:  "  Oh,  no; 
it's  all  right.  When  I  come  to  a  word  I  can't  read,  I  just  call  it 
'  Jerusalem '  and  go  right  along."  So  these  men  had  to  call  it 
"  University  "  and  go  right  along.  Such  was  the  confusion  that  at 
one  time  one  of  the  most  prominent  framers  of  the  educational  plan 
and  its  variations  actually  asked  the  author  to  prepare  a  concise 
statement  for  use,  giving  the  plan  of  educational  work  under  the 
various  corporations.  This  the  author  did.  He  also  filed  away  a 
copy  of  his  statement,  which  he  now  has  before  him,  but  cannot 
understand  it  himself.  If  he  leaves  his  readers  in  the  same  condi- 
tion, it  will  only  prove  his  fidelity  to  historical  facts ;  and  he  will  com- 
pensate for  it  by  giving  the  real  cause  of  our  educational  failure. 
We  failed  for  lack  of  a  clear-cut  plan,  concisely  stated,  rigidly  ad- 
hered to,  and  operated  on  strictly  business  methods. 

The    North    Pacific   University,   Incorporated    in    1892 

The  North  Pacific  University  is  the  name  of  a  controlling  Board, 
rather  than  of  a  school.  It  is  the  organ,  created  and  recognized  by 
the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention  for  educational  leadership  within 
its  limits. 

The  immediate  occasion  of  its  creation,  in  1892,  was  the  recog- 
nized insufficiency  of  its  predecessor,  the  Northwest  Baptist  Educa- 
tional Society,  to  do  the  work  of  the  Convention.  A  committee  of 
twenty-five  from  all  parts  of  the  Convention  field  was  appointed  at  the 
annual  meeting  of  1891  to  outline  a  system  of  education  which  should 
unify  the  efforts  of  all  Baptists  of  the  Conventional  limits,  with  the 
hope  of  attaining  greater  breadth  in  the  Northwest  in  the  future  in 
educational  endeavor. 

This  committee  was  to  be  known  as  the  Educational  Board  of 
the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention.  This  Board  was  to  be  appointed 
by  the  Convention,  and  directly  represented  the  denomination.  The 
system  under  which  the  educational  work  was  carried  on  required 
that  each  school  should  be  under  the  direction  of  two  Boards :  a  Board 
of  Trustees  to  have  general  management  and  a  local  Board  to  super- 
vise local  interests.  Both  of  these  Boards  were  subordinate  to  the 
Educational  Board  of  the  Northwest  Convention. 

2A 


CHAPTER  VII 

THOMAS  MORTON'S  GIFT  FOR  BAPTIST  EDUCATION  IN 

BRITISH  COLUMBIA 

1895 

Far-sighted  donation.  Twenty  years'  grace.  Sold  for  taxes.  Relinquished.  Par- 
tially redeemed.  Becomes  productive.  Used  for  missions.  In  Washington.  Gloomy. 
Closing  out.     Exit. 

A  LARGE  number  of  lots  in  the  city  of  Vancouver,  B,  C,  were 
donated  by  the  Hon.  Thomas  Morton  for  the  purpose  of  founding  a 
Baptist  college  any  time  within  twenty  years.  In  1893  it  was  re- 
ported that  some  of  the  lots  had  been  sold  for  taxes,  and  that  the 
churches  had  decided  to  return  the  gift  and  relinquish  all  the  benefits 
to  be  derived  from  the  property  and  deed  it  back  to  the  giver  to 
enable  him  to  redeem  the  lots.  At  the  same  time  it  was  reported 
that  Rev.  R.  W.  Trotter,  of  Victoria,  was  doing  his  utmost  to  get 
the  churches  to  retain  them.  His  effort  was  successful,  as  is  shown 
by  the  following  report  to  the  Northwestern  Association  in  1896: 

The  Committee  on  Education  reported  as  follows : 

Your  Committee  on  Education  presented  a  verbal  report,  that  some 
very  important  changes  had  taken  place  in  regard  to  the  educational 
property  situated  in  Vancouver,  B.  C,  so  that  now  it  furnishes  an  annual 
dividend  to  be  in  part  added  to  the  assets  and  in  part  applied  to  home 
mission  needs.  This  is  a  most  satisfactory  condition  of  things.  In 
Washington  the  educational  outlook  is  extremely  gloomy.  The  schools 
at  Centralia  and  Seattle  are  about  to  pass  out  of  all  connection  with  the 
denomination,  so  that  new  provisions  will  have  to  be  made  for  the 
educational  needs  of  the   future  as  they   may  arise. 

W.  C.  Weir, 
J.  W.  Best, 

Report  adopted.  D.    G.    Walker. 

The  property  was  exchanged  for  a  house  and  two  lots  adjoining 
the  First  Baptist  Church  at  Vancouver,  the  income  to  be  applied  as 
reported. 

The   Northwest   Baptist   Educational   Society  Winds   Up   Its 

Affairs 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Northwest  Convention  in  1897  the  Com- 
mittee on  Education  reports : 

Your  committee  begs  leave  to  report  further  that  during  the  last  year 
the  Northwest  Baptist  Educational  Society  practically  wound  up  its 
affairs  in  that  the  property  known  as  Grace  Seminary  at  Centralia, 
and  its  furniture  and  appurtenances,  have  been  disposed  of;  the  latter 
402 


BAPTIST    EDUCATION    IN    BRITISH    COLUMBIA  4O3 

in  satisfaction  of  the  claims  of  minor  creditors,  and  the  building  and 
fixtures  turned  over  to  the  American  Baptist  Educational  Society  in  full 
payment  of  their  mortgage  of  $9,000.  The  building  is,  therefore,  still  in 
the  hands  of  our  parent  society,  and  available  for  the  use  of  the  denom- 
ination, and  your  committee  trusts  that  in  the  near  future  this  Con- 
vention may  be  justified  in  appealing  once  more  to  the  Educational 
Society  for  further  favors  in  the  use,  loan,  or  purchase  of  this  property 
for  denominational   educational   purposes. 

Eric   Edward   Rosling,   Chairman. 

At  the  same  meeting  the  Northwest  Baptist  Educational  So- 
ciety reported  that  up  to  this  date,  October  15,  1897,  no  school 
work  at  Centralia  had  been  provided  tor  the  year.  Prof.  A.  M. 
Brumback  and  wife  had  carried  on  the  school  for  two  years  with 
great  satisfaction,  but  could  no  longer  bear  the  expense  single-handed. 
The  finances  of  the  school  were  so  deeply  involved  as  to  be  hopeless. 
Under  instructions  from  the  society,  the  Board  of  Grace  Seminary 
made  the  following  disposition  of  the  property  of  the  school  as  re- 
ported to  the  Convention  by  the  society  in  October,  1897. 

A  settlement  was  effected  in  accordance  with  the  best  wisdom  of 
your  Board,  and  which  was  consented  to  in  full  by  all  the  creditors  and 
parties  interested.  In  accordance  with  that  plan,  your  Board  of  Trustees 
first  executed  a  deed  of  the  property  known  as  Grace  Seminary  to  the 
American  Baptist  Educational  Society  in  lieu  of  the  mortgage  held  by 
the  society  against  the  institution,  of  $9,000.  Secondly,  one  of  the  pianos 
was  sold  and  the  proceeds  applied  to  settlement  of  delinquent  taxes. 
Thirdly,  the  best  piano  was  turned  over  to  Prof.  E.  T.  Trimble  and 
wife  in  lieu  of  our  indebtedness  to  him  of  $300.  Fourthly,  the  Western 
Cottage  organ  was  turned  over  to  Miss  Minnie  Ham,  in  lieu  of  our 
indebtedness  to  her  of  $75.  Fifthly,  in  lieu  of  our  indebtedness  to  R.  H. 
Espey  of  $3,259,  of  which  $1,000  was  on  account  of  the  old  Baptist  church 
property,  we  reconveyed  the  said  church  property  back  at  its  value,  and 
two  mortgage  notes  held  by  us  for  $600  and  $700,  respectively,  to  him. 
Sixthly,  the  secretary  was  instructed  by  your  Board,  and  in  accordance 
with  those  instructions  most  of  the  personal  effects  of  Grace  Seminary 
were  sold  at  auction  with  satisfactory  results,  and  the  proceeds  used  in 
the  payment  of  some  $200  delinquent  taxes  against  the  property  turned 
over  to  Bro.  R.  H.  Espey,  which  was  his  one  and  only  condition  of 
settlement,  and  all  remaining  money  in  the  treasury  was  then  turned 
over  to  Bro.  R.  S.  Greene  on  account  of  money  advanced  by  him  on 
account  of  the  $1,100  trustee  note,  the  payment  of  which  was  assumed 
by  the  Convention.  Seventhly,  the  committee  appointed  by  your  Board 
corresponded  with  every  person  to  whom  the  society  stood  indebted  on 
account  of  any  endowment  or  scholarship  notes  on  which  a  part  had 
been  paid,  and  by  the  good  will  and  generosity  of  the  donors  releases 
have  been  obtained   from  all. 

There  remains,  therefore,  at  the  present  time,  no  further  indebted- 
ness or  obligation  against  your  society's  corporation,  the  Northwest 
Baptist  Educational  Society,  except  as  it  stands  connected  with  your  Con- 
vention. But  there  still  remains  an  unpaid  balance  which  your  Convention 
still  owes  to  the  Hon.  R.  S.  Greene,  of  some  $200,  upon  which  we  have  an 
asset  that  will  be  available  soon,  of  about  $100,  leaving  about  $100  to  be 
provided  for.  This  ought  to  be  immediately  met,  and  we  recommend 
that   the    committee   composed   of   Brothers    Hull    and    Gariick   be    con- 


404       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

tinued,  and  that  they  be  authorized  to  apportion  the  balance  required 
(estimated  at  about  $ioo)  among  the  churches,  the  amount  to  be  raised 
and  paid  over  within  the  next  sixty  days. 

In  accordance  with  your  instructions  given,  we  expect  to  disin- 
corporate as  quickly  as  possible  after  this  last  account  is  settled. 

Hereafter  all  our  educational  work  may  be  carried  on  by  our  suc- 
cessors, the  North  Pacific  University. 

With  this  in  mind,  all  the  private  property  remaining  and  belonging 
to  the  Northwest  Baptist  Educational  Society  has  been  and  hereby  is 
turned  over  to  the  North  Pacific  University  in  trust  for  the  use  of  the 
Baptist  denomination.  All  of  which  is  respectively  submitted  and  your 
approval  and  ratification  asked  for. 

The  foregoing  being  adopted  by  the  Convention,  the  Northwest 
Baptist  Educational  Society  was  thereby  dissolved. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
EDUCATIOx\  FROM  1898-1900 

A  new  era.  Report  of  Committee  on  Education.  Debt  to  Judge  Greene.  No 
action  to  be  taken.     A  theological  seminary.     Delegates  appointed. 

This  closing  chapter  of  the  educational  work  of  the  Northwest 
Convention  treats  of  a  new  era  in  its  development.  We  give  the 
entire  report  of  the  Committee  on  Education  presented  to  the  Con- 
vention at  its  annual  meeting  in  October,  1898: 

EDUCATIONAL 

Your  committee  would  simply  report  no  progress,  except  it  be  the 
payment  in  part  of  the  debt  due  Bro.  R.  S.  Greene,  of  which  debt 
there  remains  yet  unpaid  about  $120,  which  it  is  hoped  will  be  paid  soon, 
and  your  committee  would  respectfully  recommend  that  no  action  be 
taken   in   educational  matters   by   the   Convention   at   this   time. 

Respectfully   submitted, 

R.  S.  Greene, 
S.  A.  Abbott, 
J.    Cairns, 

Committee. 

In  the  discussion  of  this  report,  Rev.  C.  A.  Wooddy,  D.  D., 
called  attention  to  the  possibility  of  the  organization  of  a  Baptist 
Theological  Seminary  on  the  Pacific  Coast.  A  conference  of  Pacific 
Coast  Baptists  had  been  called  to  meet  in  Oakland  to  discuss  educa- 
tional questions  at  the  time  of  the  national  Anniversary  Meetings  to 
be  held  at  San  Francisco  in  May,  1899.  A  committee  of  five  per- 
sons was  appointed  to  represent  the  Convention  in  this  conference, 
but  there  is  no  record  of  any  report  from  this  committee  to  the  Con- 
vention. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Convention  in  1899,  Dr.  F.  W. 
Colgrove  presented  a  suggestion  from  President  Graves  of  the  State 
University  of  Washington  that  the  various  religious  denominations 
erect  colleges  on  the  university  campus,  each  college  to  be  under  the 
supervision  of  a  minister  of  its  own  denomination,  where  theological 
instruction  could  be  given  to  students  preparing  for  the  ministry 
while  they  were  availing  themselves  of  the  university  classes.  A 
special  committee  of  five  was  appointed  to  interview  the  president 
of  the  State  University,  and  made  the  following  report: 

Your  committee  appointed  to  visit  the  State  University  is  deeply 
impressed  with  the  practicability  of  the  proposition  presented  by  President 
Graves  for  gathering  about  this  institution  a  series  of  religious  schools. 

405 


406       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

independent  of,  but  in  full  fellowship  with  its  work.  And  we  recommend 
further  investigation  by  the  North  Pacific  University  Board,  which  is 
requested  to  give  this  matter  early  and  careful  attention. 

Having  learned  of  the  vital  interest  of  President  Graves  in  the 
matter  of  religious  education,  we  recommend  that  our  churches  be  urged 
to  bear  in  mind  the  general  interests  of  the  State  University  during  the 
coming  year.  Respectfully  submitted, 

Dr.  F.  W.  Colgrove, 
Dr.  D.  J.  Pierce, 
Rev.  M.  W.  Miller, 
Rev.  J.  Cairns, 
Rev.  a.  G.  Sawin, 

Committee. 

In  1900  the  Northwest  Convention  comes  to  the  close  of  the 
nineteenth  century  with  the  following  educational  problems  be- 
fore it: 

Recognizing  the  North  Pacific  University  Board  as  our  Educational 
Society;  this  Convention,  at  its  last  session,  requested  this  Board  to 
investigate  certain  propositions  coming  to  the  Baptists  of  Washington 
from  the  State  University;  your  committee  is  able  to  report  that  the 
Board  has  done  a  large  amount  of  faithful  work,  and  continues  to 
prosecute  its  work  in  an  earnest  but  conservative  spirit.  "  Prove  all 
things,  hold  fast  that  which  is  good,"  appears  to  be  the  watchword.  It 
has  entered  into  no  relations  with  the  State  University,  but  is  studying 
the  situation  and  working  toward  a  comprehensive  plan  which,  we  are 
assured,  at  some  future  time  will  be  submitted  to  the  Baptists  _  of 
this  field  for  their  approval  in  a  representative  Educational  Convention. 

During  the  year  Dr.  R.  A.  Waterbery  has  come  among  us  and,  with 
the  approval  of  the  Baptist  people  and  community  of  Centralia,  has 
opened  a  school  at  that  place,  and  is  knocking  at  our  doors  for  recognition. 

It  is  also  learned  that  the  Presbyterians  stand  ready  to  ofifer  to 
the  Baptist  denomination  a  Baptist  chair  in  their  institution,  Whit- 
worth  College,  at  Tacoma. 

The  author  is  wondering  whether  there  exists  a  case  of  a 
successful  Christian  school  that  has  been  built  up  by  a  State  Con- 
vention. If  not,  then  we  congratulate  the  Northwest  Convention  on 
having  a  whole  century  before  it  in  which  to  accomplish  something 
which  has  never  been  done  heretofore. 


PART  VII 
PUBLICATION  SOCIETY 


CHAPTER  I 
DENOMINATIONAL   WORK— LAYING   THE   FOUNDATION 

Never  written  up.  Needful.  Competent  author.  No  undue  credit.  To  be  known 
is  to  be  recognized.  Early  history.  Colporter  in  Oregon  Territory.  Scope  of  work. 
Glorious  revival  in  1854.  From  1866-1875.  Fidelity.  Important  factor.  A  new 
era.     Rev.  G.  J.  Johnson,  D.  D.,  in  California.     Man  wanted.     Man  found. 

So  far  as  the  author's  knowledge  extends  this  has  never  been 
written  up,  and  he  beUeves  that  even  those  who  are  leading  in  the 
great  work  of  our  denomination  in  later  years  cannot  appreciate  its 
importance  as  a  factor  in  the  extended  and  successful  operations  of 
the  Baptists  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  unless  it  should  be  formulated  and 
publi.shed  by  some  one  whose  personal  observation  and  intimate  con- 
nection with  the  operation  of  the  society  on  this  coast  in  those  early 
days  should  entitle  him  to  undertake  the  task.  Nor  then  could  it  be 
safely  chronicled  by  such  a  writer  without  undue  credit  being  given  to 
the  Publication  Society,  unless  the  writer  had  an  equal  interest  in 
and  connection  with  the  other  great  denominational  societies,  espe- 
cially in  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  whose  work  so 
often  overlaps  (and  is  overlapped  by)  that  of  the  Publication 
Society. 

The  present  writer  can  hardly  be  charged  with  bias  in  favor 
of  the  Publication  Society,  as  he  represented  the  Home  Mission 
Society  unofficially  for  three  years  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast  as 
president,  and  corresponding  secretary'  of  the  Home  Mission  Board 
of  the  Baptist  Missionary  and  Educational  Society,  and  afterward 
officially  as  Superintendent  of  Missions  for  the  Home  Mission  So- 
ciety throughout  a  period  of  nearly  five  years,  during  almost  two 
years  of  which  he  was  superintendent  for  the  whole  Pacific  Coast. 
But  he  is  impressed  with  the  fact  that,  while  no  iota  of  credit  should 
be  subtracted  from  the  great  work  the  Home  Mission  Society, 
through  its  representatives,  has  done  and  is  still  doing  on  the  coast ; 
yet  the  position  of  the  Publication  Society  in  laying  the  foundation 
of  the  remarkable  developments  that  have  marked,  and  are  now 
marking  our  denominational  life  should  be  known  and  recognized, 
and  he  believes  it  will  be  most  highly  appreciated  by  the  loyal, 
earnest,  devoted,  and  intelligent  workers  of  later  periods  of  de- 
nominational achievement. 

The  Publication  Society  took  up  its  work  in  the  very  early 
history  of  the  Territory  of  Oregon.  Rev.  Richmond  Cheadle.  a  Bap- 
tist minister  from  Iowa,  was  commissioned  by  the  society  to  operate 
as  colporter  in  the  Willamette  Valley  in  1849,  and  continued  under 
appointment  until  1856,  a  period  of  seven  years.  On  this  new  field 
he  performed  all  sorts  of  religious  and  church  work  coming  to  his 

409 


4IO       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

hand,  preaching  to  the  churches,  organizing  Sunday-schools,  and  aid- 
ing in  organizing  churches  and  holding  revival  meetings.  In  1854 
he  reported  a  glorious  revival  in  one  of  his  meetings,  with  twelve 
converts  baptized  and  several  backsliders  reclaimed. 

Nothing  more  was  done  until  the  division  of  Oregon  Territory, 
when  in  1866  Bro.  A.  M.  Cornelius  was  commissioned  as  colporter  for 
Oregon,  Washington  Territory,  and  Idaho.  From  1866-1875  excel- 
lent colporter  work  was  supported  by  the  society  with  some  one  or 
more  of  the  following  brethren  under  appointment  and  serving  for 
longer  or  shorter  periods,  namely:  W.  J.  Loughary,  Rev.  S.  E. 
Stearns,  and  Rev.  J.  Wichser.  Together  these  men  served  through  a 
trying  period  in  the  history  of  our  denomination  of  the  North  Pacific 
Coast.  Later,  all  save  one  were  personally  known  to  the  author;  and 
their  fidelity  to  Baptist  principles  and  devotion  to  the  Lord  Jesus ;  their 
conception  of  the  need  of  the  Bible  and  its  religion  in  a  new  country, 
and  their  intelligent  distribution  of  the  society's  patronage  over  the 
vast  and  destitute  field  they  occupied,  stamped  them  at  once  as  making 
the  society  an  important  factor  in  laying  the  early  foundation  of  Bap- 
tist work  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  To  the  men  themselves,  as  well 
as  to  the  Publication  Society,  much  honor  is  due. 

In  1875  a  new  era  dawned  upon  the  Pacific  slope,  since  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society  began  operations  for  the  or- 
ganized and  continued  growth  of  its  work  as  the  country  developed. 
In  1874  Rev.  G.  J.  Johnson,  D.  D.,  the  missionary  and  business  secre- 
tary of  the  society  for  the  Northwestern  States,  with  headquarters 
at  St.  Louis,  where  he  also  had  charge  of  the  society's  branch 
house,  made  a  trip  to  California,  prospecting  for  something  more 
valuable  than  gold.  He  met  such  a  reception  in  San  Francisco  and 
in  the  other  principal  parts  of  California  that  upon  his  return  he 
recommended  that  the  society  open  up  work  on  the  coast  at  the 
earliest  possible  date.  This  the  society  determined  to  do,  and  set 
about  obtaining  a  man  to  take  up  this  work  on  the  coast  with  head- 
quarters in  San  Francisco, 

To  secure  a  suitable  man  was  found  most  difficult,  on  account 
of  a  long  and  unsettled  strife  among  our  people  in  California,  which 
had  been  so  fully  ventilated  in  Eastern  denominational  journals  that 
either  from  prejudice  or  fear,  no  one  they  approached  was  willing 
to  take  the  responsibility.  After  a  long  delay  and  effort  without 
success,  the  society  determined  to  transfer  to  the  Pacific  Coast  their 
Sunday-school  missionary.  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  who  had  been  under 
commission  by  the  society  for  the  State  of  Illinois  for  three  years. 
Doctor  Johnson  notified  him  of  their  decision.  He  also  refused  to 
go,  but  was  finally  induced  to  do  so  by  the  agreement  of  the 
society  to  provide  transportation  for  himself  and  his  family,  to  keep 
him  on  the  field  for  three  years,  and  then  to  return  him  and  his 
family  to  the  station  without  expense  should  he  wish  to  return. 


CHAPTER  II 
DIFFICULTIES  OVERCOME 

Arrived  in  California.  Reception.  Disappointment.  Difficulty  overcome.  Another 
difficulty.  Society  not  in  it.  Working  for  the  young.  All  agree.  Hopeful  outlook. 
In  Oregon.  A  new  trouble.  War  and  Landmarkism.  Conditions  in  Washington  Terri- 
tory. The  Home  Mission  Society.  Ministry  and  churches  disheartened.  Hearty  wel- 
come.     Forecasting  a   remedy.      Sent   to   meet  emergencies. 

Mr.  Baker  arrived  in  California  in  March,  1875,  and  met  with 
a  very  hearty  reception,  having  the  way  opened  by  Doctor  Johnson. 
He  brought  with  him  a  stock  of  the  society's  pubUcations,  amount- 
ing to  $1,500,  and  estabHshed  an  agency  with  headquarters  in  San 
Francisco.  He  had  received  appointment  as  Sunday-school  mission- 
ary, having  charge  of  the  book,  Bible,  and  periodical  department  on 
the  coast.  He  immediately  entered  upon  his  mission,  but  nearly 
failed  of  an  auspicious  beginning  on  account  of  an  erroneous  im- 
pression some  of  the  churches  had  received  from  Doctor  Johnson 
concerning  the  nature  of  his  work,  since  they  understood  that  the 
coming  man  was  to  establish  a  branch  house  of  the  society  in  San 
Francisco.  Undoubtedly  they  inferred  this  from  the  general  tenor  of 
Doctor  Johnson's  address,  and  not  from  his  specific  statements  touch- 
ing the  matter  in  hand,  which  is  too  often  the  case  with  agents  and 
people,  and  leads  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  a  good  plan  for 
people  to  believe  just  what  agents  say,  and  for  agents  to  say  just 
what  they  mean.  This  difficulty  being  practically  overcome,  the 
brethren  rallied  around  the  agent;  and  some  of  the  most  hearty  sup- 
porters of  the  work,  and  the  largest  contributors  to  it  were  among 
those  who  felt  the  greatest  disappointment  because  the  society  did 
not  see  its  way  clear  to  establish  a  branch  house  in  San  Francisco, 
with  only  about  six  thousand  constituency  on  the  whole  coast  to 
support  it. 

In  addition  to  this,  and  rendering  still  more  difficult  the  opening 
of  the  work,  a  long  and  bitter  strife  revolving  around  the  publishing 
of  a  paper,  the  control  of  Baptist  work  in  missions,  Conventions.  Asso- 
ciations, and  education,  with  no  small  amount  of  bristling  between 
Landmarkers  and  anti-Landmarkers  had  involved  nearly  the  whole 
Baptist  brotherhood  in  California  in  lamentable  disrepute,  causing 
great  prejudice  against  the  Home  Mission  Society  because  the  Board 
was  not  willing  to  become  a  party  to  the  conflict,  or  to  engage  in  open 
warfare  on  one  side  or  the  other. 

It  was  soon  found  that  the  agent  would  not  allow  himself  to  be 
drawn  into  the  controversy,  nor  would  he  under  any  conditions  con- 
sent to  a  shade  of  interest  by  the  Publication  Society  in  any  part  of 

411 


412       BAPTIST    HISTORY   OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

the  controversy,  holding  that  its  presence  on  the  field  was  wholly  in 
the  interest  of  the  children  of  Sunday-schools,  of  circulating  the 
Bible  and  religious  literature,  of  Sunday-school  libraries  and  peri- 
odicals, laying  the  foundation  for  the  salvation  of  the  young,  the  up- 
building of  Christian  character,  and  the  development  of  the  mission- 
ary spirit.  This,  being  understood,  put  the  society  above  and  out- 
side of  all  discord.  All  parties  alike  believed  in  the  children,  in  Sun- 
day-schools, in  the  circulation  of  religious  literature,  especially 
Baptist  literature  and  the  Bible.  Everywhere  our  people  rejoiced  that 
they  had  a  society  of  their  own  operating  among  them  along  these 
lines,  and  hopeful  that  at  some  not  remote  period  all  would,  through 
the  agency  of  the  society,  learn  that  Jesus  Christ  came  to  send 
"  Peace  on  earth  and  good  will  to  men."  The  hope  of  the  denom- 
ination seemed  to  hinge  upon  the  society  for  the  time  being,  and 
everywhere  the  agent  went  the  society  and  its  work  was  received 
with  open  arms  and  supported  with  fervent  enthusiasm  and  large 
offerings.     Such  were  the  conditions  of  opening  work  in  California. 

In  Oregon  the  agent  found  a  difficulty  of  another  character 
growing  out  of  the  Civil  War,  coupled  with  the  fact  that  a 
large  majority  of  the  churches  were  intensely  Landmark  in  their 
belief  and  practice.  The  older  members  were  largely  from  the 
Southern  States,  and  naturally  had  sympathy  with  the  South  in  the 
war.  By  degrees  this  feeling  was  dying  out.  However,  before  and 
after  the  war,  extremes  met;  and  the  feeling  engendered  conduced  to 
anything  but  the  unity  of  the  denomination.  Again,  the  question  of 
alien  immersion  and  its  accompaniments  had  been  met  by  an  equally 
well-equipped  and  conscientious  belief  in  a  contrary  biblical  teaching; 
and  the  two  parties,  while  not  in  special  antagonism  at  this  time, 
were  crippled  and  greatly  discouraged  in  all  lines  of  work,  but  espe- 
cially about  any  effort  to  unify  the  denomination  in  organized  mis- 
sionary work  and  church  extension. 

The  churches  of  Washington  Territory,  which  at  that  time  were 
but  few,  had  no  special  controversy,  either  over  the  war  or  over 
the  Landmark  doctrine;  and  yet,  since  numerically  the  Baptists  of 
Oregon  largely  predominated,  they  were  suffering  the  discourage- 
ments incident  to  Oregon,  because  the  efforts  heretofore  made  to 
unite  with  Oregon  in  associational  or  Convention  work  had  failed  of 
success,  largely  at  least,  for  the  reasons  already  stated. 

Up  to  this  time  the  Home  Mission  Society  had  not  had  a  very 
strong  grip  upon  the  mission  work  on  the  Upper  Coast,  and  was  quite 
in  disrepute  with  many  good  brethren,  on  the  one  hand,  because  the 
society  did  not  take  hold  of  the  work  with  a  strong  hand,  and  on 
the  other,  because  they  did  not  approve  of  and  heartily  indorse  what 
the  society  had  done.  Under  such  conditions  it  is  not  strange  that 
our  ministry  and  churches  were  disheartened  and  ready  to  welcome 
any  agency  that  promised  belief,  and  that  they  welcomed  the  com- 
ing of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  with  a  confidence 


DIFFICULTIES    OVERCOME  413 

and  enthusiasm,  a  unity  and  support  hitherto  unknown  on  the  Pacific 
Coast.  To  grasp  these  conditions  and  forecast  a  remedy  was  what 
the  agent  of  the  society  had  to  do,  and  forecasting  he  came  to  the 
conclusion  and  adopted  as  his  motto  that  "  Undoubtedly  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society  was  an  agency  raised  up  of  God  for 
such  emergencies  as  existed  at  this  time  on  the  Pacific  Coast,"  and  he 
planned  and  carried  forward  his  work  with  this  in  view,  trusting 
God  and  noble  and  efficient  brethren  and  sisters  whom  he  found 
everywhere  to  make  the  work  a  success. 


CHAPTER  III 
PROSPECTING 

Locating  stock.  Touring  the  field.  South  to  San  Diego.  Central  California. 
North  to  Redding.  Along  the  coast.  Hearty  reception.  Paving  the  way.  Liberal  offer- 
ings. Depositary  cared  for.  Time  propitious.  On  steamer.  New  acquaintance.  A 
banter.  Reception  at  Portland.  Scheduled  for  thirty  days.  Church  dedication.  En- 
thusiasm. In  Victoria,  B.  C.  Revival.  Baptismal  service.  One  thousand  five  hun- 
dred and  seventy-five  dollars  raised.     The  North   Star  Mission. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  of  San  Francisco  kindly  furnished 
the  agent  a  comfortable  and  available  room  in  its  church  edifice 
on  Washington  Street,  to  be  used  as  a  depositary  and  office,  free  of 
rent,  and  the  agent  began  a  tour  of  the  State.  First  he  went  about 
the  bay,  next  into  the  interior,  then  south  to  Santa  Barbara,  Los 
Angeles,  and  San  Diego,  then  north  through  the  interior  to  Marys- 
ville,  Chico,  and  Redding,  and  later  along  the  coast  lines.  These 
journeys  were  made  as  rapidly  as  the  conveyances  of  the  time  would 
admit,  and  everywhere  the  people  hailed  the  coming  of  the  society 
and  its  work  with  an  interest  and  enthusiasm  that  inspired  the  agent 
with  an  unbounded  confidence  that  the  Holy  Spirit  was  leading, 
and  that  success  would  crown  his  efforts. 

On  all  these  journeys  he  carried  with  him  Bibles  and  religious 
literature,  which  he  sold  or  donated,  as  the  circumstances  required. 
He  never  left  a  family  without  a  Bible  and  some  Christian  literature, 
seldom  left  a  church  without  hymn  books,  or  a  Sunday-school  without 
a  library,  which  was  often  given  without  money  or  price.  He  also 
took  orders  for  books,  libraries,  family  Bibles,  teachers'  Bibles,  and 
denominational  journals.  He  talked,  preached,  and  prayed  for  home 
and  foreign  missions  and  Christian  education,  and  so  began  to  weave 
the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  into  the  very  life  and 
growth  of  the  denomination,  paving  the  way  to  final  denominational 
unity  as  perhaps  no  other  agency  could  have  done  at  that  time. 
Meantime  the  agent  was  getting  a  knowledge  of  the  field,  of  its 
need  and  possibilities,  that  developed  energy  for  the  larger  work 
of  the  whole  coast,  and  especially  for  the  more  important  and"  effect- 
ive work  done  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  Liberal  offerings  were 
made  by  the  California  churches  which  rendered  it  possible  to  carry 
forward  the  work  in  Oregon  and  in  the  Northwest  Territories  with- 
out prolonged  delay. 

The  agent  was  largely  "  on  the  wing,"  away  from  the  depositary, 
but  the  depositary  was  cared  for,  and  the  clerical  work  of  the 
office,  the  filling  of  orders  and  shipping  of  goods  was  gratuitously 
performed  for  nearly  three  years  by  members  of  his  family. 

The  time  seemed  propitious  for  such  agencies  to  operate  an4 
414 


PROSPECTING  415 

leave  their  impress  upon  Baptist  life  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  the 
people  were  hungering  for  something  to  stimulate  courage,  develop 
faith,  and  organize  denominational  life  in  a  forward  movement.  The 
Publication  Society  and  the  Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Society 
of  California,  of  which  we  speak  at  length  in  another  chapter,  were 
the  agenices  God  raised  up  for  such  a  time  as  this. 

It  was  in  the  summer  of  1875  that  the  American  Baptist  Pub- 
lication Society  opened  up  its  organized  work  on  the  North  Pacific 
Coast.  The  agent  extended  his  itinerary  over  the  whole  field,  visit- 
ing every  Association,  nearly  every  important  town  or  city,  and 
many  of  the  larger  churches.  The  object  of  his  visit  was  mainly 
prospective,  to  acquaint  himself  with  the  country,  its  educational  and 
religious  conditions,  its  possibilities  and  opportunities,  especially  for 
Baptist  work. 

On  the  steamer  from  San  Francisco  to  Portland  he  made  the 
acquaintance  of  the  Hon.  Henry  Villard,  who  came  up  to  prospect 
the  country  for  railroad  building,  and  who  afterward  built  the  first 
transcontinental  line  to  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  When  he  ascer- 
tained that  the  agent  had  spent  seven  years  of  his  life  on  railroad 
construction,  Mr,  Villard  bantered  him  to  leave  the  Sunday-school 
work  and  reenter  the  railroad  business,  as  being  more  profitable 
and  a  higher  calling.  Finally  the  agent  told  him  the  following  story, 
over  which  both  Mr.  Villard  and  the  company  of  listeners  made 
merry  to  their  hearts'  content: 

My  old  engineer,  whose  name  was  Day,  left  the  railroad  and  went 
into  the  mercantile  business.  I  left  it  to  enter  the  ministry.  Mr.  Day 
used  to  say  that  we  were  the  only  men  he  ever  knew  who  left  (the 
railroad  to  follow  any  respectable  calling. 

By  request  of  the  agent,  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  Portland,  being  acquainted  with  the  field,  had 
made  the  schedule  for  this  itinerary  to  cover  a  period  of  thirty  days. 
Doctor  Pierce,  in  his  "  Memoirs,"  gives  the  following  account  of 
the  trip: 

The  missionary  arrived  in  Portland  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
and  the  pastor  took  him  directly  to  his  study  in  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  where  the  entire  trip  was  traced  and  accepted.  The  missionary 
started  the  same  day,  making  the  entire  schedule  in  thirty  days.  Re- 
turning, he  visited  the  Willamette  Association,  meeting  at  The  Dalles, 
Ore,,  and  struggled  with  a  $1,300  debt,  which  he  wiped  out,  and  dedi- 
cated their  house  free  of  debt.  During  the  trip  the  Sunday-school 
missionary  was  enthusiastically  received  in  all  parts  of  the  field,  and  a 
new  interest  was  awakened  in  the  Sunday-school  work.  Still,  while  the 
Sunday-school  work  was  made  a  prominent  feature,  yet  missions,  home 
and  foreign.  Christian  education  and  church  support  were  talked  about, 
preached  about,  prayed  over  in  families,  churches,  Associations,  every- 
where, to  pave  the  way  for  tlie  reorganization  of  the  general  work. 

This  brought  the  society  in  contact  with  the  people,  and  opened 
a  deeply  interesting  and  fruitful  correspondence  with  the  agency  at 


4l6       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

San  Francisco.  During  this  itinerary  Bibles  and  religious  literature 
from  the  Publication  Society  were  left  upon  the  field,  or  ordered  for 
individuals,  families,  churches,  and  Sunday-schools,  which  were  soon 
at  work  paving  the  way  for  a  great  revival  to  sweep  over  the  whole 
territory. 

In  the  winter  of  1876  and  1877  the  agent  was  urged  by  the 
pastor  at  that  place  to  come  to  Victoria,  B.  C,  and  aid  in  dedicating 
a  church.  Up  to  this  time  nothing  was  known  of  British  Co- 
lumbia as  a  mission  field  for  Baptists.  This  was  regarded  as 
another  providential  opening  for  the  society,  and  the  agent  made 
in  February  the  voyage  of  eight  hundred  and  forty  miles  to  dedicate 
the  church.  Upon  arrival  he  found  that  the  church  had  borrowed 
$3,000  on  the  property,  and  that  this  amount,  together  with  what  the 
members  had  been  able  to  raise,  was  already  used  up  in  building, 
while  an  estimated  deficit  of  $2,250  was  still  unprovided  for.  Time 
was  needed  to  take  in  the  situation,  gather  in  the  bills,  and  strike  a 
balance.  While  this  was  being  done,  a  meeting  was  held  each  night 
in  the  church,  and  a  revival  occurred  which  made  a  marked  impres- 
sion upon  the  city,  and  proved  of  far-reaching  importance  to  the  Bap- 
tist cause  in  the  Province.  The  work  seemed  genuine  and  thorough. 
Fifteen  professed  conversion,  some  of  them  old  and  hardened  sin- 
ners. Six  were  received  by  experience  and  six  were  baptized. 
Three  others  were  received,  awaiting  baptism  at  the  close  of  the  meet- 
ing. Six  were  received  later.  Among  the  converts  were  young  peo- 
ple from  two  of  the  most  active  families  in  the  church  at  that  time, 
who  became  especially  influential  and  important  factors  in  the  greater 
work  of  the  Baptists  in  Victoria,  New  Westminster,  and  indeed,  in 
the  growth  of  the  work  in  British  Columbia.  The  Clydes,  the  Mc- 
Naughtons,  Deacon  Bishop,  and  Deacon  Bailey  are  still  household 
names,  and  were  highly  treasured  by  many  of  our  people  in  British 
Columbia. 

The  first  baptismal  service  by  immersion  ever  held  in  British 
Columbia  occurred  at  this  time,  and  was  a  historic  event.  It  took 
place  on  Thursday  evening,  February  19,  1877.  A  Victoria  daily, 
the  Colonist,  gave  the  following  account  of  it: 

The  baptismal  service  which  we  announced  in  our  issue  of  Wednes- 
day took  place  in  the  Baptist  church.  The  sacred  edifice  was  crowded  to 
its  utmost  capacity.  Seats  had  to  be  placed  in  the  aisles  and  around  the 
platform.  Even  then  large  numbers  were  unable  to  gain  admittance. 
The  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker  preached  an  able  sermon  on  "  God's  Plan  of  Sal- 
vation." At  the  close  of  the  sermon  the  Rev.  Mr.  Carnes  proceeded  to 
administer  the  solemn  ordinance  of  baptism.  The  candidates  were 
dressed  in  white;  and  as  they  appeared  upon  the  platform,  a  solemnity 
such  as  we  seldom  witness  came  over  the  congregation  as  they  were  led 
into  the  water  by  the  pastor  of  the  church.  Strong  men  were  seen 
weeping,  and  a  deep  impression  was  made  upon  the  whole  congregation. 
The  minister,  as  he  was  about  to  immerse  the  candidates,  said  :  "  Upon 
your  profession  of  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  at  your  own  request, 
I  baptize  you  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit."     Not 


PROSPECTING  417 

a  sound  could  be  heard,  save  the  splashing  of  water ;  the  converts  came 
forth  with  a  smile.  We  believe  there  will  be  another  baptism  on  Sunday 
or  Monday  next. 

In  the  midst  of  this  revival,  with  many  inquirers  in  the  congre- 
gation thinking  it  would  not  hinder  but  rather  contribute  to  their 
conversion,  an  effort  was  made  to  raise  funds  to  reduce  the  church 
debt.  To  the  utter  astonishment  and  pleasure  of  everybody  $1,575 
was  raised,  and  the  revival  went  right  on.  The  agency  of  the 
Publication  Society  did  not  end  in  foundation  work  for  our  people 
in  Victoria  and  British  Columbia.  Its  agent  heralded  this  North 
Star  Mission  among  our  people  all  over  the  Pacific  Coast,  especially 
the  North  Coast,  awakening  an  interest  in  the  field  which  outgrew 
the  ability  and  scope  of  the  Publication  Society  and  was  uncon- 
sciously merged  in  the  Home  Mission  Society,  the  details  and  record 
of  whose  work  in  British  Columbia  appears  fully  in  the  body  of  this 
work.  The  Publication  Society  seized  upon  a  condition  and  met  its 
requirements  when  no  other  agency  was  at  hand.  It  was  an  oppor- 
tune time  in  British  Columbia,  as  well  as  in  other  parts  of  the 
Pacific  Coast,  and  gives  the  society  a  well-earned  place  in  the 
growing  influence  and  achievements  of  our  people  in  that  picturesque 
and   rich   Province   so   full   of   great   possibilities. 


2B 


CHAPTER  IV 
INDIVIDUAL   INFLUENCE 

Following  godly  men.  Witness  their  self-sacrifices.  How  they  won  their  way. 
Left  joy  and  blessing.  Wishing  their  return.  True  to  the  Lord.  Giving  prominence 
to  the  society.  The  three  men.  Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns.  Rev.  A.  D.  McMichael.  Rev. 
W.  E.  M.  James.  Results.  A  culminating  period.  A  companion  worker.  Reorganizing. 
General  work.  Removal  to  Salem,  Ore.  Silent  untold  influence.  Appointed  deposi- 
tary. Transfer  of  one  thousand  seven  hundred  dollars  stock  to  Salem.  Four  years  of 
Sunday-school  work.     Lower  Coast  history.     Remarkable  achievements. 

It  would  read  almost  like  religious  fiction  to  follow  those  who 
represented  the  society  as  colporters  and  Sunday-school  missionaries 
in  the  seventies  and  eighties  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast;  to  follow 
them  over  their  fields  of  activity  as  the  author  has  done,  and  learn  in 
what  high  esteem  they  were  held  as  men  of  God ;  to  find  how  the  chil- 
dren everywhere  loved  to  have  them  come  again  and  again;  to  learn  of 
the  blessed  influence  of  their  visits  in  homes  both  Christian  and  non- 
Christian,  in  many  cases  transforming  the  latter  into  the  former;  to 
see  how  the  Bible  had  been  installed  in  the  family  as  a  daily  com- 
panion; to  know  that  even  infidels  were  converted,  either  through 
personal  contact  with  these  Christian  leaders,  or  through  their  chil- 
dren becoming  attached  to  them  in  the  home,  or  in  the  Sunday- 
school  where  they  were  gathered  and  taught  the  way  of  life.  The 
Bibles  and  the  religious  literature  left  in  the  homes  and  Sunday- 
schools  and  the  libraries  installed  in  most  of  the  Sunday-schools  were 
largely  read,  thus  supplementing  and  carrying  forward  the  personal 
work  of  these  men  of  God.  To  learn  how  true  to  their  principles  and 
to  the  word  of  God  and  the  church  of  Jesus  Christ  these  workers 
were,  and  yet  how  other  denominations  cheerfully  bore  testimony  to 
their  worthiness  and  the  value  of  their  work,  calling  them  "  Men  of 
God,"  and  vying  with  our  own  people  in  extending  to  them  the 
courtesy  of  their  homes,  impresses  one  with  the  great  value  of  their 
work. 

Following  these  men  too,  as  the  author  has,  one  could  not  but 
be  impressed  with  their  denominational  integrity  and  the  scope  of 
their  vision  of  the  great  Northwest  as  a  field  for  Christian  efifort, 
and  of  its  coming  greatness  and  opportunity  for  Baptist  activity. 
Wherever  these  men  went,  they  took  the  American  Baptist  Publica- 
tion Society  along.  It  was  stamped  upon  everything  they  handled. 
Indeed,  it  was  the  promoter  behind  their  work  which  they  delighted 
to  honor,  practically  the  only  society  of  our  denomination  carrying 
forward  continued  operations  in  this  trying  period  of  foundation- 
laying  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  If  the  lives  of  some  of  these  men 
could  be  written  up,  they  would  be  read  with  interest,  and  would 
418 


Rev.  W.  E.   M.  James 


Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns 


Rev.   A.   D.   McMichael 


INDIVIDUAL    INFLUENCE  4I9 

inspire  people  with  a  spirit  of  devotion  and  enthusiasm  akin  to  that 
produced  by  reading  the  hfe  of  the  sainted  John  Vassar. 

The  three  men  whose  names  stand  out  most  conspicuously  with 
the  society  in  those  early  days  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast  were  Rev. 
S.  E.  Stearns,  Rev.  A.  D.  McMichael,  and  Rev.  W.  E.  N.  James. 
Each  of  these  men  was  specially  adapted  to  a  different  department  of 
work. 

Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns  was  a  man  of  strength  as  a  preacher,  a 
writer,  an  organizer.  He  was  at  once  a  colporter,  home  missionary, 
foreign  missionary,  and  educationalist.  Wherever  he  went  he 
grasped  religious  and  educational  conditions  and  local  possibilities. 
He  came  nearer  covering  the  North  Pacific  territory  than  any  other 
colporter.  In  all  his  career,  whether  as  colporter  under  the  Publica- 
tion Society,  or  missionary  under  the  Home  Mission  Society,  or 
missionary  under  his  own  appointment  and  serving  upon  his  own 
charges,  he  was  supplying  the  people  with  Bibles  and  religious 
literature  from  the  Publication  Society.  One  hardly  ever  found  him 
without  tracts  in  his  pocket  to  meet  any  emergency,  whether  for 
saint  or  sinner.  He  was  no  mean  antagonist  when  the  Bible  or  de- 
nominational tenets  were  attacked.  His  letters  gathered  and  pub- 
lished would  be  gems  full  of  interest  to  any  one  desiring  a  knowledge 
of  religious  conditions  in  those  early  days  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast. 
For  his  life  and  service  on  the  field  we  are  more  indebted  to  the 
Publication  Society  than  to  any  or  all  other  agencies. 

Beginning  in  1875,  the  author  followed  him  over  the  Willamette 
Valley  and  southern  Oregon,  over  western  Washington,  and  some- 
what in  British  Columbia.  But  his  great  work  was  done  east  of  the 
Cascades,  in  both  Oregon  and  Washington,  where  his  name  was 
fragrant,  the  value  of  his  quiet  work  was  everywhere  apparent,  and 
he  was  a  prominent  factor  in  all  our  denominational  beginnings 
and  progress  up  to  the  eighties.  All  this  may  be  said  of  the  man, 
but  he  always  and  everywhere  put  the  society  first.  With  him  the 
work  was  always  greater  than  the  man,  and  the  Publication  Society 
always  greater  than  its  representative. 

Rev.  A.  D.  McMichael  was  his  peer,  but  in  work  of  another 
character.  While  not  deficient  along  the  lines  attributed  to  Brother 
Stearns,  yet  his  specialty  lay  along  another  line  not  less  vital  in  lay- 
ing solid  foundations  for  the  future  development  of  our  beloved  de- 
nomination. He  was  a  student  at  Burlington.  Iowa,  a  classmate  of 
the  Rev.  J.  E.  Clough,  the  famous  Telugu  missionary,  and  possessed 
much  of  his  fervent  religious  zeal.  He  was  instrumental  in  leading 
Doctor  Clough  to  the  Saviour. 

Brother  McMichael  early  conceived  the  idea  that  one  of  the  best 
ways  to  promote  the  salvation  of  men  and  build  Christian  character 
was  to  circulate  the  Bible  and  religious  literature  in  the  family, 
coupled  with  such  personal  work  as  each  separate  family  might 
need  and  would  receive.     In  connection   with  this,  he  fullv  believed 


420       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

that  the  Bible  and  Baptist  literature  founded  upon  the  Bible  was  the 
safest  and  most  valuable  literature  available  for  such  a  purpose,  and 
so  he  very  naturally  became  a  colporter  of  the  Publication  Society. 
He  began  his  work  in  western  Oregon,  purchasing  supplies  and  start- 
ing the  work  on  his  own  charges.  He  afterward  went  under  the 
employ  of  the  society,  and  his  work  was  always  approved  by  the 
society,  so  that  semiofficially  he  was  always  the  colporter  of  the 
society,  and  many  did  not  know  that  his  work  was  so  largely  at  his 
own  personal  expense.  Few  men  influenced  the  family  life  of  those 
early  days  for  good  more  than  he.  No  family  was  left  without  a 
Bible  and  some  valuable  religious  literature,  no  Sunday-school  with- 
out help,  and  libraries  if  needed;  and  these  not  always  confined  to 
Baptist  Sunday-schools,  an  enviable  record  and  worthy  of  emulation. 

Rev.  W.  E.  N.  James  was  the  peer  of  the  other  two,  but  was 
especially  adapted  to  work  among  the  children.  He  was  decidedly 
the  "  Children's  man."  At  home  a  numerous  progeny  thronged 
around  him,  and  from  the  time  he  left  his  home  to  go  out  upon  his 
tours  until  he  reached  the  bairns  at  home  again  and  had  them  all 
upon  his  knee,  he  had  the  ear  of  the  children,  and  his  second  tour 
among  them  was  an  ovation  at  every  point.  Western  Washington 
and  British  Columbia  composed  his  field,  though  he  performed  much 
labor  on  other  fields,  notably  in  western  Oregon. 

He  was  not  always  the  colporter  of  the  Publication  Society,  and 
yet  the  society  furnished  the  basis  for  his  support.  The  society,  in 
the  seventies,  put  into  the  hands  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  and  Edu- 
cational Society  $1,700  worth  of  stock  to  be  used  in  missionary 
work  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  to  be  sold  or  donated  at  the  dis- 
cretion of  their  depositary  and  the  Mission  Board.  This  stock  was 
so  disposed  of  as  to  reach  nearly  four  years  of  colporter  and  Sunday- 
school  work,  and  Brother  James  was  the  Sunday-school  man,  and  a 
large  part  of  his  work  was  in  western  Washington.  A  quotation 
from  one  of  his  letters  is  given  as  -a  sample  of  his  work. 

From  the  Baptist  Beacon,   August,    1878: 

THE    LETTER    FROM    OUR    MISSIONARY,    BROTHER    JAMES 

The  farther  I  penetrate  the  field,  the  more  destitution  I  find.  After 
leaving  Chehatchie  Valley,  I  entered  Cowlitz  Valley  by  Martin's  Point. 
Stayed  at  the  forks  of  the  Lewis  River  and  held  services  there — a  very 
destitute  field — found  no  Baptists.  Visited  from  house  to  house  until 
I  arrived  at  Kalana.  Here  I  found  Brother  Newton,  a  Baptist  minister. 
He  and  his  family  are  the  only  Baptists  I  found  in  this  neighborhood. 
Next  place  was  Pleasant  Valley.  Held  meetings  here  and  in  the 
mountains.  Found  one  family  of  Baptists,  Brother  and  Sister  Graves, 
and  two  families  of  Seventh  Day  Baptists.  Organized  a  Sabbath-school 
in  the  mountains.  Campbellism,  spiritualism,  and  infidelity  are  the  creeds 
of  most  that  live  in  this  part.  Took  steamer  from  Carroll  Point  to  Free- 
port.  Went  to  Arkansaw  and  Silver  Lake ;  held  services  with  the 
Friends  in  that  place.  Found  about  six  persons  who  had  been  Baptists, 
but   have    joined    the    Campbellites.      From   this   point    to    Grand    Prairie 


INDIVIDUAL    INFLUENCE  421 

there  are  Indians  and  Roman  Catholics.  Here  I  found  one  sister  and 
two  brothers ;  held  service  with  them  and  organized  a  Sabbath-school. 
Each  of  these  places  is  destitute  of  gospel  preaching.  At  present  the 
brethren  are  very  poor,  but  are  willing  to  do  what  they  can  for 
the  cause  of  Christ.  I  intend  holding  services  this  afternoon  and  to- 
morrow at  eleven,  and  organizing  a  Sabbath-school.  Will  leave  on 
Monday  morning  for  Centerville,  and  try  to  get  them  to  send  some  one 
here  once  a  month  at  least.  There  are  only  Roman  Catholic  services 
held  here ;  a  good  opening  for  a  Baptist  church.  I  hope  to  be  in  Oyster- 
ville  the  third  Lord's  DaJ^ 

Lewis  County,  W.  T.,  July  6,  1878. 

Here  is  one  of  his  quarterly  reports,  which  is  characteristic  of 
the  man  and  his  work.     From  the  Baptist  Beacon: 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL     MISSIONARY'S     REPORT 

To  the  Home  Mission  Board  of  Oregon,  Washington  and  Idaho  Territory, 
and  British  Columbia: 

Dear  Brethren  :  Your  colporter  and  Sunday-school  missionary  begs 
leave  to  report :  Number  of  Sunday-schools  organized,  3 ;  number  of 
Sunday-schools  addressed,  8;  number  of  Sunday-school  sermons,  2i\ 
prayer  meetings,  2;  family  visits,  95;  baptized,  2;  Bibles  donated,  2; 
Testaments  donated,  27  \   tracts  donated,   136;   miles   traveled,  368. 

I  rejoice  to  see  that  the  word  of  the  Lord  is  stronger  than  the 
theory  of  men.  I  am  glad  to  hear  the  infidels  acknowledge  that  they  are 
not  infallible,  and  that  they  may  be  wrong.  There  is  some  hope  for 
them  when  they  acknowledge  this. 

I  organized  a  Sunday-school  at  Rainier,  and  at  a  logging  camp 
sixteen  miles  below.  I  hope  to  organize  another  Sunday-school  back 
of  Rainier  in  a  few  weeks'  time.  I  visited  the  vicinity  and  talked  with 
the  young  men  about  Sunday-school.  They  said  if  I  would  get  up  a 
dance   I   would  get  all  out  to  it. 

The  Sunday-schools  in  the  Stockman  and  in  the  Boistfort  valleys 
are  progressing  well.  yours  in  Christ, 

W.  E.   N.  James. 

The  results  of  such  work  as  these  men  wrought  cannot  be 
tabulated ;  the  Master  alone  knows.  But  future  generations  will 
highly  appreciate  their  efforts  and  gladly  accord  to  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society  the  important  place  it  occupied  in  making 
possible  the  laying  of  foundations  upon  which  biblical  and  Christian 
structures  are  being  and  will  be  reared  until  the  Master  shall  call  us 
all  up  higher  to  see  the  men  whom  he  delights  to  honor  who,  under 
God,  made  possible  the  success  of  later  workers. 

The  year  1877  was  apparently  a  culminating  period  of  the  work 
of  the  society  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  The  agent  of  the  society 
made  an  extended  trip  over  the  entire  field,  accompanied  by  Mrs. 
Baker  as  representative  of  the  Women's  Foreign  Mission  Society 
of  California.  They  traveled  together  over  the  whole  field,  Mr. 
Baker  carrying  forward  the  Sunday-school  work,  and  Mrs.  Baker 
addressing    gatherings    of    every    kind    in    the    intere.'^t    of    foreign 


422       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

missions,  and  materially  aiding  in  awakening  a  revival  of  the 
missionary  spirit  in  every  place  they  visited.  Indeed,  it  was  said  that 
it  was  one  of  her  thrilling  addresses  at  one  of  the  Associations  visited 
that  started  the  "  Great  Missionary  Revival  "  so  often  referred  to  in 
this  volume.  Mrs.  Baker  was,  and  is  a  true  helper,  a  woman  of 
attractive  personality,  of  deep  piety,  and  earnestly  and  intelligently 
devoted  to  every  department  of  Christ's  work. 

On  this  missionary  journey,  which  extended  over  Oregon  and 
Washington  into  British  Columbia,  arrangements  were  made  which 
resulted  in  a  meeting  called  to  reorganize  general  denominational 
work  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  A  committee,  of  which  the 
agent  of  the  society  was  chairman,  was  appointed  to  draft  a  consti- 
tution. Upon  his  return  to  Portland  from  British  Columbia  he  wrote 
the  constitution  of  the  Missionary  and  Educational  Society,  which 
was  adopted  by  the  committee,  and  finally  by  the  society,  at  Mc- 
Minnville  in  October,  1877. 

Meantime  the  agent  had  resigned  his  position  with  the  Publica- 
tion Society  and  had  become  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of 
Salem,  Ore.  But  the  work  of  the  Publication  Society  was  still  an 
important  factor  in  unifying  the  work,  stimulating  courage,  and  help- 
ing to  supply  the  need  of  churches  and  Sunday-schools,  by  having 
supplies  on  hand  for  purchase  or  donation,  so  that  no  church  nor 
Sunday-school  should  lack  necessary  helps.  And  the  helps  them- 
selves being  uniform  set  our  people  to  studying  the  same  lessons, 
singing  the  same  songs,  reading  the  same  books,  and  using  the  same 
periodicals,  and  thus  exerted  a  silent  but  untold  influence  in  pro- 
moting fellowship  and  good  cheer  wherever  our  people  gathered,  and 
was  the  toboggan  on  which  many  of  the  old  issues  and  jealousies 
slid  off  into  the  abyss  of  oblivion. 

The  Publication  Society  made  this  possible  by  appointing,  with 
the  consent  of  the  Salem  church,  their  former  agent,  now  the  pastor 
of  the  church,  as  their  depositary  for  the  Pacific  Coast,  with  head- 
quarters and  stock  transferred  to  Salem,  Ore.,  with  liberty  to  use  his 
own  judgment  in  making  donations  to  churches  and  pastors,  Sunday- 
schools,  and  families.  Finally  the  Publication  Society  put  into  the 
hands  of  the  Home  Missionary  Board,  under  the  direction  of  this 
pastor-agent,  a  stock  of  $1,700,  to  be  sold  or  donated  to  carry  for- 
ward their  mission  work  on  the  Upper  Coast.  This  stock  was  suffi- 
cient for  over  four  years  of  missionary  work  by  the  godly  men 
already  named  in  this  review,  as  well  as  to  supply  large  numbers  of 
pastors  with  matter  for  distribution,  and  Sunday-schools  with  helps 
and  libraries. 

Most  of  this  work  was  done  before  the  existence  of  the  Conven- 
tion of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  or  while  it  was  pursuing  its  work  as 
an  independent  body,  the  Publication  Society  being  the  principal 
denominational  agency  at  work  creating  and  developing  agencies 
through  which  all  the  great  denominational  societies  received  their 


INDIVIDUAL    INFLUENCE  423 

setting  and  unification,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  body  of  this  volume 
under  the  head  of  "  Independent  Work."  Indeed,  the  author  has 
no  knowledge  of  such  another  opportunity  for  the  Publication  So- 
ciety to  use  its  force  and  resources  to  perform  a  unique  and  neces- 
sary work  for  the  Lord  Jesus  and  our  beloved  denomination,  and 
doubts  if  our  country  furnishes  another  of  equal  importance. 

All  honor  to  the  society  for  seizing  the  opportunity,  and  all 
praise  to  the  Master  for  raising  up  agencies  to  cope  with  such  emer- 
gencies !  Nor  is  it  least  to  the  honor  of  the  Christly  spirit  that, 
without  a  ripple  of  selfishness  or  prejudice,  the  Publication  Society 
and  its  agents  relinquished  the  right  of  way  to  the  other  great  de- 
nominational societies,  for  which  its  efforts  had  so  signally  prepared 
the  way,  and  continued  its  work  along  other  important  lines,  by 
means  of  other  equally  efficient  agencies,  of  which  mention  will  be 
made  under  another  heading. 

On  the  Lower  Coast,  and  especially  in  California,  in  different 
conditions  and  through  different  agencies,  the  society  played  a  part 
in  bringing  about  denominational  unity  scarcely  less  thrilling,  which 
will  doubtless  be  written  up  in  its  own  time  and  place  as  it  deserves 
to  be,  but  it  cannot  be  in  connection  with  North  Pacific  Coast 
history. 

The  author  has  lived  to  witness  the  great  achievements  of  our 
denomination  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  the  wonderful  progress  of 
all  our  great  societies  operating  here,  the  remarkable  increase  of  an 
efficient  ministry,  the  growth  of  society  agencies,  the  formation  of 
conventions,  and  the  development  of  an  able  lay  element  aiding  in 
handling  the  necessary  business  connected  with  denominational 
growth ;  he  views  them  all  with  thankfulness  to  the  Master ;  and  he 
feels  confident  that  all  these  agencies,  with  the  ministry  and  the  great 
body  of  our  people,  will  thankfully  appreciate  the  work  of  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  and  will  gladly  accord  it  the 
place  its  service  has  so  abundantly  earned  in  Baptist  history  on  the 
North  Pacific  Coast. 


CHAPTER  V 
A  CHIEF  CORNER-STONE 

A  secondary  place.  The  Publication  Society's  great  work  for  the  children. 
Debtors  to  the  society.  A  question.  A  crown  given.  A  necessary  change.  Rev. 
E.  G.  Wheeler  and  his  wife.  The  chapel  car  "  Evangel."  Brother  Wheeler's  report. 
Three  colporters.     Rev.  A.  H.  Hausc.     An  author's  dilemma. 

During  the  second  general  period  the  PubHcation  Society  neces- 
sarily takes  a  secondary  place  in  the  history  of  Baptist  achievement 
on  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  though  it  is  still,  and  always  will  be, 
highly  useful  in  laying  the  foundations  for  the  future  growth  of  the 
denomination.  Its  great  work  is  with  the  children.  It  meets  them 
at  an  impressible  and  responsive  age  with  the  teaching  of  the  Bible 
in  picture,  song,  and  story.  It  plants  in  young  lives  the  germs  that 
produce  the  men  and  women  who  constitute  the  effective  membership 
of  our  church,  the  Christian  ministers  without  whom  our  churches 
would  become  stagnant  pools,  the  consecrated  officials  of  the  churches 
and  of  the  missionary  societies  without  whom  both  churches  and 
societies  would  go  upon  their  missions  like  vessels  without  their 
rudders.  The  men  and  women  of  great  strength  and  influence  in  our 
denomination,  as  well  as  many  of  its  rank  and  file,  are  largely  in- 
debted to  this  great  society  for  their  first  religious  impressions, 
whether  transmitted  to  them  directly  through  the  society's  literature 
or  through  the  medium  of  parents,  friends,  or  Sunday-school  teachers. 
Through  its  literature,  so  widely  disseminated,  and  often  so  freely 
bestowed,  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  is  entitled  to  a 
large  share  of  the  credit  for  Baptist  denominational  growth  in  North 
America  and  in  other  sections  of  the  world  as  well.  In  laying  foun- 
dations, the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  is  a  chief  corner- 
stone. It  is  a  question  whether,  among  all  our  organized  bodies,  it 
ought  not  to  be  accorded  the  position  of  chief  importance. 

The  author  remembers  well  the  Sunday-school  conventions,  rep- 
resenting the  Publication  Society,  which  preceded  the  State  Conven- 
tions and  provided  enthusiasm  and  inspiration  in  all  their  sessions. 
We  should  bear  in  mind,  therefore,  that  it  is  only  in  the  record  of 
agencies  as  they  bulk  larger  or  smaller  in  service  at  various  stages 
of  the  work  that  we  speak  of  the  Publication  Society  as  taking  a 
secondary  place,  and  not  at  all  in  the  hearts  of  the  people. 

Most  of  the  Publication  Society's  agents  heretofore  mentioned  in 
this  work  have  been  taken  home  by  the  Master  to  be  richly  crowned ; 
and  those  who  have  taken  up  their  work  will  doubtless  prove  their 
equals  in  loyalty  and  devotion,  though  the  opportunities  for  a  wide 
range  of  controlling  influence  are  necessarily  abridged  because  other 
424 


A    CHIEF    CORNER-STONE  425 

great  societies  are  on  the  field  with  agencies  which  must  be,  and  ought 
to  be  recognized.  Because  of  the  great  necessity  for  activity  in  the 
organization  and  development  of  the  churches,  our  history  must,  in 
the  later  period,  lay  stress  on  the  work  of  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society,  which  has  entered  the  field  with  so  large  a 
force.  However,  in  addition  to  its  colporter  and  general  Sunday- 
school  work,  the  Publication  Society  has  done  memorable  things 
through  its  chapel-car  department.  Special  mention  should  be  made  of 
Rev.  E.  G.  Wheeler,  the  superintendent  of  the  chapel  car  "  Evangel." 
Brother  Wheeler  and  his  estimable  wife  received  a  warm  reception  and 
a  hearty  indorsement  from  the  brethren  on  this  coast,  and  were  always 
welcome  guests  when  they  found  it  possible  to  be  present  at  the 
Northwest  Convention.  They  aided  in  the  organization  of  several 
churches  on  this  field  which  have  grown  into  prominence,  notably : 
Snohomish,  Everett,  Fremont,  Anacortes,  Woodley,  and  Napavine. 

Brother  Wheeler  served  as  Sunday-school  missionary  and  finan- 
cial agent  of  the  Publication  Society,  giving  one-half  his  time  to 
California  and  one-half  to  the  Upper  Coast.  From  his  report  to  the 
Northwest  Baptist  Convention  in  1892,  we  cull  the  following  items: 

In  the  five  months  he  had  been  at  work  on  the  Convention 
field  with  the  chapel  car,  he  had  visited  seventeen  towns,  held  two 
hundred  and  thirty-six  gospel  meetings  in  which  one  hundred  and 
thirty-six  persons  professed  conversion,  and  aided  in  organizing  five 
new  churches  and  thirteen  new  Sunday-schools.  Rev.  M.  W.  Miller 
was  at  this  time  the  efiicient  colporter  on  the  field.  The  Baptists 
of  Washington  had  given  the  previous  year  for  this  work  $353.12, 
besides  $55.42  for  Bible  work.  The  Convention  expressed  its  appre- 
ciation of  the  coming  of  Brother  and  Sister  Wheeler,  highly  com- 
mending their  work  as  well  as  that  of  Rev.  M.  W.  Miller,  the  col- 
porter. In  1897  the  Publication  Society  had  in  service  on  this 
field  as  colporters  Rev.  O.  J.  Johnson  among  the  Swedish  people, 
Rev.  C.  P.  Berg  among  the  Germans,  and  Rev.  A.  H.  Hause  among 
the  Americans.  These  men  did  most  welcome  and  efficient  service 
among  their  fellow-countrymen.  Homes,  communities,  towns,  especi- 
ally those  destitute  of  gospel  privileges,  will  long  remember  their 
self-sacrificing  and  devoted  labors  and  praise  God  for  them.  In  the 
absence  of  a  general  missionary  of  the  Publication  Society  on  this 
field,  Brother  Hause  stood  for  the  society  and  represented  it  in  all 
departments  of  its  work.  He  was  a  worthy  champion  of  its  cause  in 
Associations  and  Conventions ;  and  being  a  strong  Baptist,  an  accept- 
able preacher,  and  an  untiring  worker,  he  performed  valuable  serv- 
ice for  the  society  and  the  society's  Master  on  this  Convention  field. 

The  author  confesses  to  a  feeling  of  regret  at  dropping  the 
history  of  this  grand  society ;  but  he  passes  on  the  pen  of  the  his- 
torian to  the  twentieth-century  writer  with  a  feeling  that  the  achieve- 
ments of  the  Publication  Society  in  its  past  history  will  be  more 
than  duplicated  in  the  future. 


PART  Vlll 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST  HOME 
MISSION  SOCIETY 


CHAPTER  I 

FOLLOWING    THE    STAR 
1832-1845 

The  mission  star.  Predestination.  Paul  and  the  Baptists  pledged.  The  star 
going  westward.  Home  Mission  Society  following  the  star.  Doctrines  of  God. 
God's  highway.  Image  of  his  son.  Satan  came  also.  Satanic  suggestions.  God 
knew.  A  great  people.  Prompt  action.  Middle  West.  Far  West.  Fisher.  Arran- 
ging.    Johnson.     On  the  way.     Commissions  in  hand.     Arrival. 

Westward  the  star  of  missions  takes  its  way.  Objection  can 
hardly  be  raised  if  a  Baptist  historian  should  call  attention  to  the 
soul-reviving  doctrine  of  predestination,  to  maintain  which  both  the 
Apostle  Paul  and  the  Baptist  denomination  stand  pledged.  One  who 
studies  the  purpose  and  work  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mis- 
sion Society  can  hardly  avoid  giving  it  as  a  marvelous  expression  of 
the  inexplicable  doctrines  of  the  word.  They  are  the  doctrines  of 
God.  He  works  them  out.  They  always  go  before  us.  They  are 
God's  highway  on  which  we  are  walking,  sometimes  unconsciously. 
The  wise  men  knew  little  of  these  great  doctrines  when  westward  the 
star  of  Bethlehem  took  its  way,  but  they  followed  it.  Our  fore- 
fathers, who  established  this  Home  Mission  Society,  may  not  have 
fully  realized  the  openings  before  them,  but  God  foreknew.  Ke  fore- 
ordained. He  called.  He  elected.  He  justified.  He  glorified.  He 
set  the  star  of  missions  in  the  West.  The  Home  Mission  Society  is 
following  it,  and  is  here  having  reached  the  limit  of  home  missions 
in  the  great  Northwest.  And  now  we  are  here.  Now  we  see,  because 
God  foresaw  and  predestined  us  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his 
Son,  of  whom  these  great  doctrines  are  the  reflection. 

But  it  must  not  be  understood  that  the  officials  of  the  Home 
Mission  Society  followed  the  star  of  missions  into  the  great  West 
with  no  clouds  intervening.  Wherever  the  sons  of  God  gather  Satan 
comes  also.  In  this  case,  with  dark  clouds  and  evil  suggestions  he 
would  have  prevented  the  society  from  taking  up  work  in  the  Middle 
West,  but  especially  in  following  the  mission  star  into  the  great 
Northwest.  He  put  emphasis  upon  a  want  of  knowledge,  that  it  was 
of  no  commercial  value,  unfit  for  civilization.  But  God  foreknew 
as  the  sequel  will  show  and  predestinated  its  occupancy  by  one  of 
the  most  active,  intelligent,  enterprising,  influential,  and  successful 
peoples  of  the  world,  regarded  from  either  a  commercial  or  a  Chris- 
tian viewpoint. 

In  1832,  when  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  was 
organized,  very  little  was  generally  known  of  this  Northwest  Pacific 
Coast;  but  even  before  its  organization,  its  framers,  such  men  as  Rev. 

429 


430       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Jonathan  Going  and  Rev.  John  M,  Peck,  had  begun  their  westward 
movement,  following  the  star,  and  it  was  the  needs  of  the  West 
reported  by  them  that  brought  about  the  organization  of  the  society. 
As  late  as  the  time  of  the  Ashburton  Treaty,  in  1842,  we  find  so 
prominent  a  man  as  Senator  McDuffie  expressing  the  opinion  that  the 
entire  Oregon  Territory,  then  embracing  Washington,  Idaho,  and 
Montana,  as  well  as  what  is  now  Oregon,  was  not  worth  a  pinch 
of  snuff.    He  said: 

What  is  the  character  of  this  country?  As  I  understand  it,  there  are 
seven  hundred  miles  on  this  (western)  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountains 
that  are  uninhabitable,  where  rain  never  falls,  mountains  wholly  im- 
passable except  by  going  hundreds  of  miles  out  of  a  direct  course.  .  . 
Of  what  use  would  the  land  be  for  agricultural  purposes?  I  would  not 
for  that  purpose  give  a  pinch  of  snuff  for  the  whole  territory.  I  wish 
the  Rocky  Mountains  were  an  impassable  barrier.  If  there  were  an  em- 
bankment of  even  five  feet  to  be  removed,  I  would  not  consent  to  expend 
five  dollars  to  remove  it  and  enable  our  population  to  go  there.  I  thank 
God  for  his  mercy  in  placing  the  Rocky  Mountains  there. 

The  National  Intelligencer,  at  about  the  same  time,  said: 

Of  all  the  countries  upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  Oregon  is  one  of  the 
least  favored  by  heaven.  It  is  the  mere  riddlings  of  creation.  It  is 
almost  as  barren  as  Sahara,  and  quite  as  unhealthy  as  the  Campagna  of 
Italy.  Russia  has  her  Siberia,  and  England  has  Botany  Bay,  and  if  the 
United  States  should  ever  need  a  country  to  which  to  banish  her  rogues 
and  scoundrels,  the  utility  of  such  a  region  as  Oregon  would  be 
demonstrated.  Until  then  we  are  perfectly  willing  to  leave  this  mag- 
nificent country  to  the  Indians,  trappers,  and  buffalo  hunters  that  roam 
over  its  sand  banks. 

Such  was  the  estimation  placed  upon  the  country  to  which  the 
Home  Mission  Society,  in  1843,  the  year  after  the  treaty,  determined 
to  send  its  missionaries;  and  in  1845  we  actually  find  those  devoted 
men.  Revs.  Ezra  Fisher  and  Hezekiah  Johnson,  with  commissions 
from  the  Home  Mission  Society  in  their  hands,  urging  forward  their 
ox-teams  toward  this  despised  far  western  land. 

"  The  West  is  already  on  the  other  side  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
the  people  there  are  talking  of  going  to  the  mouth  of  the  Oregon 
to  live,"  are  the  words  of  Alfred  Bennett,  at  the  meeting  of  the 
society  at  Philadelphia  in  1839,  adding  as  he  advocated  enlargement, 
"  We  must  go  to  the  book  of  acts,  and  not  merely  to  the  book  of 
resolutions." 

These  people  west  of  the  Mississippi  knew  more  about  Oregon 
than  politicians  like  Senator  McDuffie,  for  Marcus  Whitman  had 
passed  through  their  country  more  than  once,  and  many  others  who 
have  been  west  of  the  Rockies,  and  brought  them  tidings  of  rich 
and  beautiful  valleys  capable  of  supporting  a  large  population,  as 
yet  entirely  unoccupied.  In  1837  Whitman  led  a  band  of  nearly  a 
thousand  souls  to  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  a  great  migration  of  the 


FOLLOWING   THE   STAR  43 1 

people  had  fairly  begun,  which  was  designed  to  save  Oregon  for 
the  United  States.  Wherever  the  people  went  the  Home  Mission 
Society  determined  to  go  to  meet  them  with  the  gospel. 

From  its  experience  in  the  Middle  West,  the  society  appreciated 
the  importance  of  prompt  and  early  action,  and  of  being  on  the 
ground  to  greet  and  welcome  the  incoming  settlers  before  they  had 
formed  definite  connections  and  settled  ways  of  living.  One  of  the 
two  earliest  Baptist  Home  missionaries  to  Oregon,  Ezra  Fisher,  was 
born  in  1800,  a  graduate  of  Amherst  College  in  1829,  and  a  student  at 
Newton  in  1830.  After  a  pastorate  at  Springfield,  Vt.,  where 
he  baptized  eighty  persons,  he  received  from  the  Home  Mission  So- 
ciety in  1832,  when  it  was  organized,  one  of  its  first  commissions,  and 
removed  to  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  for  four  years  of  service,  and  then  to 
Quincy,  111.,  and  in  1843  he  began  arranging  for  the  journey  over- 
land to  Oregon. 

Hezekiah  Johnson,  the  other  appointee  of  the  Home  Mission 
Society,  born  in  Maryland  in  1799,  was  converted  and  baptized 
in  Ohio  in  1825,  and  was  licensed  the  same  year  to  preach.  He 
was  ordained  in  1827  to  his  first  pastorate,  which  he  held  for  seven 
years.  In  1838  he  removed  to  Iowa  with  a  commission;  helped 
organize  the  first  Association  there,  and  preached,  by  appointment, 
the  first  sermon  before  the  Iowa  State  Convention  in  1842.  In  1845 
he  was  commissioned,  with  Fisher,  for  the  Oregon  field.  The 
society  gave  them  each  $400  for  an  outfit,  and  assured  them  each  a 
salary  of  $200  a  year. 

They  began  their  long  journey  overland  early  in  the  spring  of 
1845 ;  i"  November  they  reached  The  Dalles,  Ore.,  where  Mr.  Fisher 
preached  a  few  times ;  and  in  December  they  arrived  in  the  William- 
ette  Valley,  where  Brother  Fisher  found  shelter  from  the  rains  in 
the  hospitable  house  of  David  Lenox  at  West  Union,  in  which  had 
already  been  organized  the  first  Baptist  church  and  Sunday-school 
west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains ;  he  became  the  successor  of  Rev. 
Vincent  Snelling  in  the  pastorate  of  this  church,  which,  to  use 
his  own  words,  had  "  only  two  of  its  members  within  twenty-five 
miles  of  the  place  of  organization,  so  that  all  efficiency  by  church 
organization  is  lost." 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  STAR  SHINES 
1845-1880 

Beginnings.  First  meeting-house.  First  school.  Oregon  City  church.  The  star 
stood.  But  shining.  Portland  church.  Difficulties  to  overcome.  Farming.  Civil 
War.  Panic.  California.  Far-sighted  secretary.  A  strenuous  prayer  meeting.  Spirit- 
given  song.  Fourteen  days.  In  San  Francisco  First  Protestant  church.  First 
school  in  California.  Pentecost  congregation.  First  baptism  in  California.  Only 
sixteen  months.  Forty-six  ministers.  All  in  a  hurry.  Exodus  from  Oregon.  As- 
sociation suspended.  Threw  up  his  commission.  Twenty-two  years'  service.  Twenty- 
five  more.  Two  hundred  and  ninety  thousand  dollars.  Recognition  service.  Cornelius. 
Anderson.  Sending  men  to  Puget  Sound.  Offered  a  commission.  Puyallup.  Seattle. 
S.  E.  Stearns.  E.  Curtiss.  Work  done.  Resignation.  Seven  years  later.  Missionary 
and  Educational  Society.     Co-operation. 

As  Brother  Fisher  became  the  second  pastor  of  the  first  Baptist 
church  in  Oregon,  so  the  other  home  missionary,  Brother  Johnson, 
became  the  first  pastor  of  the  fourth  church  at  Oregon  City,  where  he 
built  the  first  meeting-house  with  his  own  hands,  almost  unaided, 
and  started  the  first  Baptist  school  in  the  meeting-house,  putting  it 
first  into  the  hands  of  his  niece,  and  afterward  into  the  hands 
of  Ezra  Fisher.  The  school  started  by  these  missionary  pastors 
culminated  in  Oegon  City  University,  of  which  McMinnville  College 
is  the  successor  and  heir.  During  the  period  from  its  organization,  on 
July  4,  1847  to  1878,  the  Oregon  City  church  was  under  the  care  of  the 
pioneer  missionaries  of  the  Home  Mission  Society,  Brethren  Johnson, 
Fisher,  Chandler,  and  Stearns.  Thus  the  Home  Mission  Society 
was  on  the  field  with  aid  from  the  time  when  there  was  but  one 
Baptist  church  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  over  three  thousand 
miles  from  its  headquarters  in  New  York.  The  star  stood  over 
West  Union  church,  shining  upon  Oregon  City. 

In  Portland,  Ore.,  the  Home  Mission  Society  was  present  at  the 
first  organization  of  the  First  Church  in  1855,  both  with  aid  to  the 
pastor,  and  in  the  persons  of  its  missionaries,  Ezra  Fisher  and 
Hezekiah  Johnson,  who  recognized  the  church;  and,  again,  at  the 
second  and  permanent  organization  in  i860. 

Between  1856  and  i860  there  was  a  period  of  four  years  when 
no  pecuniary  aid  from  the  society  was  given  to  the  churches  in 
Oregon,  but  this  was  not  the  fault  of  the  society.  The  pastor 
aided  at  Portland  had  proved  unworthy,  and  abandoned  the  church, 
which  disbanded.  Bros.  Ezra  Fisher  and  Hezekiah  Johnson  were 
dissatisfied  because  the  society  did  not  take  a  decided  anti-slavery 
stand,  and  preferred  to  go  to  farming  rather  than  to  receive  aid 
from  the  society.  Rev.  G.  C.  Chandler  divided  his  time  between 
farming  and  preaching  and  educational  work.     The  dissension  inci- 

432 


THE    STAR    SHINES  433 

dent  to  the  approaching  Civil  War  and  other  differences  divided  the 
ranks  of  the  Oregon  Baptists.  The  panic  of  1857  depleted  the 
treasury  of  the  society. 

As  the  work  of  the  Home  Mission  Society  in  Oregon  begins 
with  the  emigrants  on  the  Oregon  trail,  so  the  work  of  the  society 
in  California  begins  with  the  gold  excitement  of  1848.  That  far- 
sighted  secretary  of  the  society,  Dr.  B.  M.  Hill,  at  a  minist.;rs'  meet- 
ing in  New  York  City,  put  his  hand  on  the  shoulder  of  Rev.  O.  C. 
Wheeler,  then  pastor  at  Jersey  City,  in  November,  1848,  saying: 
"  We  want  you  to  go  to  California  as  our  missionary."  "  I  cannot 
go,  sir,"  was  the  reply.  The  secretary  insisted,  but  the  positive 
reply  was :  "  No,  sir ;  I  will  not  leave."  This  scene  was  repeated 
daily,  and  urgent  appeals  were  made  by  others.  We  quote  from 
Rev.  C.  A.  Wooddy,  in  the  Home  Mission  Monthly: 

On  the  sixteenth  of  that  month,  after  a  sleepless  night  of  prayer,  and 
at  the  close  of  an  unusually  agonizing  season  at  family  prayer,  so  he 
relates,  a  burden  as  distinct  as  that  of  Bunyan's  Pilgrim's  Progress  rolled 
from  his  shoulders.  He  and  his  wife  simultaneously  arose  from  their 
knees ;  and,  without  the  exchange  of  a  word,  broke  out  in  the  song : 

To   God   I'm   reconciled. 

His  pardoning  voice  I  hear; 
He  owns  me  for  his  child, 

I   will  no  longer  fear. 

Fourteen  days  later  he  sailed,  having  in  this  time  closed  up  his 
business  for  life,  made  a  trip  to  Philadelphia,  preached  ten  sermons, 
given  three  addresses,  selected  his  outtit,  and  with  it  and  himself  was 
on  board  by  sailing  time,  December  i,  1848. 

Going  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  he  reached  San  Fran- 
cisco in  February,  1849.  where  he  built,  and  in  August  dedicated  the 
first  Protestant  church  edifice  in  California,  in  which  the  following 
December  the  first  public  school  was  opened. 

In  October  he  administered  the  first  baptism  in  California  be- 
fore a  vast  throng,  civil  and  military  and  naval,  plebeian,  middle- 
class,  and  regal,  representing  every  civilized  land  under  heaven, 
drawii  thither  by  the  gold  excitement.  He  also  organized,  on  May 
19,  1850,  the  second  church  in  northern  California  at  San  Jose, 
where  the  second  baptism  was  administered.  He  conducted  the  first 
revival  meeting,  and  he  organized  the  first  Association  in  the  State. 
Although  his  period  of  service  covered  only  sixteen  months,  so 
rapid  was  the  development  that  he  was  enabled  to  do  all  this  and 
much  more.  He  was  by  no  means  the  only  Baptist  minister  drawn 
thither  by  the  gold  excitement,  for  he  reported  that  he  registered 
the  names  of  forty-six  accredited  Baptist  ministers  who  passed 
through  San  Francisco  between  April  r.  1849,  and  August  i.  1850; 
but  not  one  of  them  could  be  induced  to  stop  even  for  a  single 
day  to  aid  him   in   his   work.     So  many  ministers  went  down    from 

20 


434       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Oregon  that  the  Willamette  Association  could  hold  no  session  that 
year;  and  among  those  who  went  were  Revs.  Vincent  Snelling  and 
Ezra  Fisher.  Brother  Snelling,  at  this  time,  was  twice  given  a 
commission  to  work  on  the  Oregon  field  for  the  Home  Mission 
Society;  but  he  preferred  to  throw  up  the  commission  and  go  to 
California,  where  he  died  in  1855.  Brother  Fisher  returned  again 
in  six  months  with  $1,200,  taught  the  Baptist  school  at  Oregon 
City  for  two  years,  and  with  others  bought  the  site  for  the  Oregon 
City  University. 

The  second  missionary  appointed  by  the  society  for  California 
reached  the  State  eighteen  months  after  Doctor  Wheeler;  and  in  the 
ten  years  that  followed,  fifteen  appointments  were  made  whose 
aggregate  service  was  about  twenty-two  years;  and  in  the  ten  years 
next  ensuing,  forty-two  appointments  aggregating  fifty-four  years, 
the  total  appropriations  to  the  California  work  for  these  twenty 
years,  from  the  Home  Mission  Society,  were  about  $290,000,  of  which 
about  $50,000  was  for  gifts  and  loans  to  the  church  building  work. 

As  soon  as  there  was  a  prospect  of  reorganizing  the  Portland 
First  Church,  Rev.  Samuel  Cornelius,  Jr.,  a  missionary  of  the  society, 
was  on  hand  to  organize  it  on  August  31,  i860,  and  became  its  mis- 
sionary pastor.  Rev.  Hezekiah  Johnson  preached  the  sermon  on 
"  Church  Building."  Rev.  G.  C.  Chandler  told  the  sad  story  of  the 
former  church,  now  reduced  to  three  members,  who  agreed  to  dis- 
solve the  organization ;  and  a  new  church  of  fifteen  constituent 
members  was  formed.  Both  Brother  Cornelius,  from  1860-1865. 
and  Bro.  E.  C.  Anderson,  his  successor  from  1866-1871,  were  assisted 
by  the  Home  Mission  Society.  After  that  the  Portland  First  Church 
was  self-sustaining,  though  the  Chinese  work  was  assisted  by  the 
Home  Mission  Society  in  1881-1882. 

It  was  one  of  the  constituent  members  of  this  Portland  church, 
Rev.  Rodolphus  Weston  who,  in  - 1867,  baptized  in  White  River 
Lemuel  J.  Holgate,  for  many  years  a  deacon  of  the  Seattle  First 
Church.  The  same  year  Brother  Weston  organized  the  church  at 
Puyallup ;  and  he  was  the  first  man  in  the  Territory  to  whom  the 
society  offered  a  commission.  A  roving  commission  was  sent  by  the 
New  York  Board  of  the  Home  Mission  Society  to  Brother  Weston 
on  the  recommendation  of  his  pastor  in  Portland,  Rev.  S.  Cornelius, 
Jr. ;  but  Brother  Weston  had  much  sickness  in  his  family  at  the  time, 
and  fearing  that  either  his  commission  might  lead  him  to  neglect  his 
family,  or  his  family  to  neglect  his  commission,  if  he  accepted  it,  he 
preferred  to  earn  his  bread  by  his  trade  as  a  blacksmith,  and  so  sent 
the  commission  back.  This  does  not  alter  the  fact  that  the  society 
stood  ready  to  help  at  the  first  opportunity  offered  it  in  the  work  on 
Puget  Sound. 

Only  two  churches  in  Washington  were  organized  before  the 
Puyallup  church,  the  one  at  Mound  Prairie,  by  Rev.  T.  J.  Harper, 
and  the  other  at  Brush  Prairie,  by  Revs.  Alvin  and  J.  J.  Clark.     The 


THE    STAR    SHINES  435 

Puyallup  church  can  show  the  first  permanent  organization  under  the 
same  name.  The  Mound  Prairie  church,  owing  to  the  sterility  of  the 
land,  the  Indian  outbreak,  and  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California, 
was  soon  disbanded;  but  the  Brush  Prairie  church,  after  numerous 
vicissitudes,  changing  its  name  several  times,  and  keeping  up  foot- 
washing  until  1881,  continues  to  exist. 

Rev.  R.  Weston  went,  in  1868,  to  visit  the  little  band  of  Baptists 
holding  meetings  from  house  to  house  in  Seattle;  he  organized  the 
First  Church  in  1869,  with  eleven  members;  and  supplied  them  with 
preaching  most  of  the  time  for  two  and  a  half  years  until  they 
secured  their  first  pastor.  Rev.  Joseph  Freeman,  D.  D.  In  1870  the 
church  applied  to  the  Home  Mission  Society  for  aid.  which  was  not 
granted. 

The  first  work  actually  done  by  the  Home  Mission  Society  for 
Washington  Territory  was  in  sending  Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns  to  serve  as 
missionary  pastor  at  Oysterville  in  the  year  1871-1872,  and  at  the 
same  time  sending  Rev.  E.  Curtiss  to  serve  as  general  missionary  for 
Oregon  and  Washington  Territory.  Brother  Curtiss  served  the 
Home  Mission  Society  for  a  year  and  six  months,  in  which  time  he 
aided  in  organizing  sixteen  churches,  and  in  building  and  dedicating 
eight  houses  of  worship.  One  of  these  houses  was  at  Seattle  where, 
unfortunately,  after  the  brethren  had  been  encouraged  by  the  promise 
of  aid  from  the  society  to  build  a  better  house  than  was  originally 
planned,  the  society  could  not  heed  his  recommendation  for  assistance, 
and  the  church  was  left  to  struggle  for  many  years  with  a  burden- 
some debt  of  $1,295  'It  eighteen  per  cent  interest. 

Brother  Curtiss  also  helped  to  organize  the  Olympia  church,  and 
baptized  Judge  R.  S.  Greene  in  1871 ;  and,  through  him.  Rev.  Joseph 
Casto,  the  first  pastor  at  Olympia,  was  commissioned  and  aided  by 
the  Home  Mission  Society.  Brother  Curtiss  likewise  assisted  in 
the  council  which  ordained  Bro.  P.  H.  Harper  at  the  Elma  church, 
in  1872. 

Brother  Curtiss  was  an  able  man,  frank  and  outspoken  in 
regard  to  disputed  questions,  and  sometimes  gave  offense  to  those 
who  differed  with  him.  He  was  a  personal  friend  of  the  author, 
who  knew  him  both  before  and  after  his  service  in  the  Northwest. 
His  resignation  in  1872  was  due  to  ill  health  and  loss  of  voice. 

The  following  letter,  written  seven  years  later,  may  be  of 
interest  to  those  who  knew  of  his  work  on  this  field : 

Greenvh-le,  Mich.,  March  24.  1879. 

De.^r  Brother  Baker:  A  copy  of  the  Beacon  of  March  i,  sent  by 
yourself  or  some  other  friend,  has  quickened  my  recollections  of  ac- 
quaintances and  friendships  formed,  of  labors  attempted  in  the  Master's 
name,  and  of  victories  achieved  by  and  for  the  truth,  over  which  angels 
rejoiced,  and  from  which  some  new  names  were  placed  in  the  Re- 
deemer's crown.  Some  of  the  choicest  reminiscences  in  a  ministry  of 
forty  years  are  those  of  the  time   in   which    T   traveled  over  the  valleys 


436       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

and  plains  and  mountains  of  Oregon  and  Washington  Territory.  The 
meetings  held,  the  souls  saved,  the  believers  baptized,  the  churches  or- 
ganized, the  houses  of  worship  dedicated,  are  all  fresh  in  my  memory. 

Undertaking  too  much  work  for  one  of  my  years,  my  health  failed,  I 
lost  my  voice,  and  supposing  my  public  work  was  done,  I  returned  to  my 
work  in  this  State.  If  1  had  rested  in  some  quiet  nook  in  the  Cascades 
for  a  few  months,  I  might  possibly  have  continued  my  labors  in  that 
most  interesting  and  needy  held  for  a  few  years  longer.  After  resting 
a  year,  only  preaching  occasionally,  I  settled  as  pastor  of  the  church  in 
this  city,  which  I  have  served  now  for  five  years.  We  have,  at  present,  a 
membership  of  two  hundred  and  fifty.  Our  town  is  about  the  size  of 
Salem  when  I  lived  there,  and  equally  as  pretty ;  barring,  perhaps,  the 
evergreen  shores  of  the  broad  and  beautiful  Willamette. 

I  am  much  gratified  in  reading  the  letter  of  Sister  Chandler,  of 
Forest  Grove,  to  learn  that  my  dear  friend  and  brother.  Dr.  G.  C. 
Chandler,  the  best  friend  and  helper  I  found  on  the  coast,  still  lingers 
on  the  mortal  shores.  Surely  there  is  rest  for  such  weary  ones  as  he 
on  the  other  side  of  the  river. 

Oh !  if  we  could  only  have  had  a  Beacon  when  I  was  tliere,  to 
write,  guide,  and  inspire  us  in  our  labors,  much  more,  I  am  sure,  would 
have  been  accomplished.  If  the  Baptists  of  Oregon  and  Washington 
appreciate  rightly  their  own  interests,  they  will  rally  to  the  support  of 
their  paper,  seek  to  put  it  in  every  family,  and  encourage  its  visits  every 
week.  Herein  find  the  dollar,  for  which  send  the  Beacon  to  my  address, 
Greenville,  Mich. 

With  a  hearty  godspeed  for  yourself  and  your  fellow-laborers, 
I    am,    afifectionateiy    yours,  E.    Curtiss. 

After  the  resignation  of  Brother  Curtiss,  the  Home  Mission 
Society  sustained  no  general  missionary  on  the  field  in  Washington 
Territory  from  1872-1882.  The  missionaries,  aided  on  the  field 
by  the  Home  Mission  Society  at  this  period,  for  from  one  year 
to  two  years  and  a  half,  were  Revs.  P.  H.  Harper,  S.  E.  Stearns. 
Jonathan  Wichser,  Joseph  A.  Wirth,  J.  L.  Blitch,  D.  \Y.  C.  Britt, 
W.  E.  M.  James,  W.  N.  Pruett,  D.  J.  Pierce,  and  Dong  Gong. 

From  1877-1880  the  Missionary  and  Educational  Society  of 
the  North  Pacific  Coast  carried  on -the  work  of  the  general  mission- 
ary independently  of  the  Home  Mission  Society;  and,  in  1880,  at  the 
time  when  co-operation  began,  it  was  sustaining  nine  missionaries, 
while  the  Home  Mission  Society  sustained  four.  Those  sustained 
by  the  Home  Mission  Society,  within  these  three  years,  were  Rev. 
S.  E.  Stearns,  with  a  roving  commission  for  eastern  Washington 
and  Idaho;  Rev.  J.  W^ichser,  at  Puyallup  and  White  River;  Rev. 
J.  A.  Wirth.  at  Seattle;  and  Rev.  J.  L.  Blitch,  at  Walla  Walla.  In 
1880  the  Home  Mission  Society  accepted  the  nine  appointees  of  the 
Convention,  and  the  Convention  accepted  the  four  appointees  of  the 
Home  Mission  Society.  The  latter  society  agreed  to  pay  two- 
thirds  of  the  salary  of  all  the  appointees,  and  the  Convention  one- 
third. 


CHAPTER  III 

THE  "MISSION  STAR"  ABIDES 
1880- 1900 

Magnitude  of  the  Home  Mission  Society's  work.  A  marvelous  opening.  Home 
missions  were  a  household  word.  Offered  aid.  Plan  of  cooperation.  Unusual  op- 
portunity. Wonderful  development.  Christianity  pitted  against  heathenism.  Assets. 
Nearly  every  church  aided.  A  thoughtless  attempt.  The  work  retarded.  The  division 
into  districts.  British  Columbia  entered.  The  Northwest  Convention  organized.  Un- 
wavering purpose.  Hearty  welcome.  A  half-century  of  work  in  peril.  Growth. 
Forecast. 

Here  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  from  1880- 1900,  the  record 
of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Missionary  Society  is  of  such 
magnitude  that  its  equal  can  hardly  be  found  on  any  field  of  oper- 
ation for  a  like  period  of  time  in  the  history  of  its  work  in  North 
America.  All  of  its  work  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast  before  1880 
was  comparatively  desultory,  and  much  of  it  was  ephemeral,  since 
there  was  no  Convention  or  corresponding  organization  with  which 
it  could  co-operate,  and  thus  economize  its  energies.  All  of  its  work 
before  this  date  was  merely  preparatory  and  prophetic,  showing 
what  it  could  and  would  do  for  this  great  field  when  the  conditions 
of  the  field  justified  a  complete  organization  of  the  Home  Mission 
Society's  work  for  the  great  Northwest. 

In  1880  the  society  found  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast  a  body 
fully  organized  and  equipped,  which  had  already  gained  standing  in 
the  East,  and  had  carried  forward  the  work  of  home  missions  upon 
an  independent  basis  for  three  years  with  such  marvelous  success 
that  a  parallel  to  it  can  hardly  be  found  in  the  field  of  mssion  effort 
in  North  America.  The  Baptists  were  united  in  this  effort,  and  nine 
out  of  ten  churches  on  this  field  were  contributing  to  home  missions. 
The  Baptist  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  was.  first  and 
foremost,  a  home  mission  society.  Foreign  missions,  the  Publication 
Society,  Christian  education,  were  all  promoted  by  it ;  but  its  funda- 
mental work  was  to  organize  and  build  up  churches  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  which  should  make  it  their  chief  delight  to  aid  in  the 
organization  and  development  of  other  churches  with  the  ultimate 
purpose  in  view  of  planting  the  gospel  in  every  destitute  field  on 
the  North  Pacific  Coast,  and  aiding  in  spreading  it  abroad  through 
the  whole  world. 

Home  missions  had  already  become  a  household  word :  and  the 
great  home  mission  field  was  cherished  and  loved  to  such  an  extent 
that,  when  the  Home  Mission  Society  came  upon  the  field,  none  of 
the  old  animosity  or  suspicion  was  attached  to  the  name,  and  it  was 
received  with  open  hearts  and  hands  and  purses.    Especially  was  this 

437 


438       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

SO  when  it  offered,  in  co-operation  with  our  Convention,  to  appropri- 
ate two  dollars  for  our  work  for  every  dollar  we  should  raise  upon 
the  field,  and  to  leave  the  work  under  the  management  of  a  Board 
appointed  by  our  Convention,  when  the  plans  had  been  approved  and 
recommended  to  the  Home  Mission  Society  by  its  Superintendent  of 
Missions.  Such  was  the  method  of  work  adopted  on  the  North 
Pacific  Coast  in  1880.  It  was  like  David  and  Jonathan  in  partnership 
in  working  out  problems  of  the  greatest  magnitude,  in  which  the 
spread  of  the  gospel,  the  redemption  of  souls,  and  the  restoration  of 
the  unity  of  the  race  were  the  ultimate  objects  aimed  at. 

It  is  probable  that  the  Home  Mission  Society  has  seldom  or 
never  had  such  an  opportunity  to  put  forth  its  full  strength  and 
ability  to  do  work  for  the  Lord  Jesus.  In  this  period,  from  1880- 
1900,  occurred  the  most  marvelous  development  of  this  northwest 
country,  which  is  destined  to  hold  no  second  place  in  the  history 
of  modern  times ;  not  only  in  its  agricultural,  mineral,  and  commercial 
importance,  but  also  in  its  strategical  importance  as  a  new  base  for 
the  advance  of  the  conquering  hosts  of  King  Immanuel  over  the 
heathen  world. 

The  population  of  the  Northwest  is  cosmopolitan,  and  is  growing 
and  changing  with  marvelous  rapidity,  coming  from  the  great  centers 
of  the  world's  thronging  millions  and  returning  to  them  by  new  routes 
and  more  rapid  transit.  What  an  opportunity  for  setting  forth  the 
gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  the  atoning  merits  of  his  blood ! 
The  grand  old  Home  Mission  Society  began,  in  1880,  to  occupy  this 
strategic  field  with  the  North  Pacific  Coast  Convention,  which  was 
holding  the  right  of  way  for  the  Baptist  division  of  the  Lord's  army, 
and  had  now  co-ordinated  its  work  with  that  of  the  Home  Mission 
Society. 

At  this  time  the  Convention  had  the  following  assets :  seven 
Associations,  thirteen  missionaries,  thirty-seven  pastors,  sixty-nine 
ministers,  one  hundred  and  four  churches,  three  thousand  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety-one  members,  twenty-seven  church  buildings  valued 
at  $70,000,  with  a  debt  of  $1,821 ;  thirty-six  Sunday-schools,  eleven 
of  them  being  union  schools,  and  $711  surplus  from  the  North 
Pacific  Convention  to  place  at  the  service  of  the  Home  Mission 
Society  for  the  field  of  Oregon,  Washington,  Idaho,  and  British  Co- 
lumbia. The  conditions  existing  on  the  field  in  1880  were  certainly 
propitious.  The  work  to  which  the  Home  Mission  Society  gave  its 
energies  was  aiding  churches  in  the  support  of  pastors,  organizing 
churches,  and  building  houses  of  worship,  and  supporting  general 
itinerant  missionaries. 

Following  the  Home  Mission  Society  in  its  attempt  to  cover  this 
great  field,  we  have  to  record  that  nearly  every  church  organized 
on  the  field  after  1880  received  aid  from  the  society,  either  in  the 
support  of  its  pastor  or  in  erecting  its  house  of  worship.  Nearly 
all  of  the  work  done  on  the  field  was  under  the  direction  of  the 


THE        MISSION    STAR        ABIDES  439 

Mission  Board  of  the  Convention,  and  was  aided  by  the  society. 
Some  work  was,  indeed,  accomplished  by  Associations;  and  this 
form  of  work  was  always,  in  those  days,  encouraged  by  the  officials  of 
the  general  work,  though  it  was  not  pushed  to  the  degree  of  success 
that  the  author,  at  least,  believed  to  be  both  needful  and  attainable. 
From  the  first  the  author  considered  it  impossible  for  any  general 
society  to  do  all  the  missionary  work  needed  on  so  broad  a  field.  He 
believed,  moreover,  that  every  organic  body  of  Christ's  followers 
ought  to  have  some  distinctive  work  wholly  its  own,  for  which  it 
should  be  held  accountable,  otherwise  its  services  would  be  unsatis- 
factory, its  growth  would  be  tardy,  and  its  very  existence  would  be 
unjustifiable. 

Very  little  occurred  to  hinder  the  progress  and  steady  increase 
of  this  co-operative  work  until  1885,  when  the  patience  of  the 
society  was  tried  by  the  thoughtless  attempt  in  one  of  the  districts  to 
change  the  long-established  methods  of  the  society.  It  finally  culmi- 
nated in  the  meeting  of  the  Convention  in  1885,  the  history  of  which 
is  given  in  another  part  of  this  volume  under  the  head  of  "  Organized 
Work."  Though  the  work  was  retarded  to  some  extent,  the  steady 
hand  with  which  the  society  held  its  position  and  proceeded  with  its 
work  was  a  matter  of  general  comment  and  praise  in  the  records  of 
that  day.  The  time  had  now  arrived  in  the  growth  of  the  work 
when  arrangements  for  local  Conventions,  in  the  different  districts 
naturally  separated  from  one  another  by  States  and  mountain  ranges, 
became  a  necessity ;  and  the  Convention,  with  the  consent  of  the 
society,  divided  the  field  into  three  separate  districts,  each  having 
a  co-operative  Board  to  manage  the  local  work;  namely,  Oregon  for 
one  district,  western  \\'ashington  and  British  Columbia  for  another, 
and  eastern  Washington  and  northern  Idaho  for  the  third.  These 
districts  finally  grew  into  independent  Conventions,  as  expected  and 
planned,  and  the  General  Convention  dissolved  in  1886. 

We  leave  the  history  of  the  Oregon  Convention  and  of  the  eastern 
Washington  Convention  at  this  date  to  the  other  historians  appointed, 
and  proceed  with  the  history  of  the  churches  of  western  Washington 
and  British  Columbia.  The  following  statistics  show  the  progress, 
breadth,  and  success  of  the  work  at  the  time  of  the  dissolution  of  the 
North  Pacific  Coast  Convention  in  1886.  The  number  of  churches 
had  increased  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-four,  the  number  of  pastors 
to  seventy-six,  the  ordained  ministers  to  one  hundred  and  ten,  the 
membership  to  four  thousand  and  ninety-seven,  the  houses  of  worship 
from  twenty-two  to  sixty,  with  ten  thousand  sittings,  and  a  valuation 
grown  from  $26,000  to  $225,000,  including  lots,  with  a  merely 
nominal  indebtedness. 

We  now  follow  the  work  of  the  Home  Mission  Society  in  western 
Washington  and  British  Columbia.  When  the  field  was  divided  into 
districts,  the  society  continued  its  work  in  the  districts  under  the 
supervision   of   the    Superintendent   of   Missions,   having   previously 


440       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

agreed  to  appropriate  to  the  Oregon  district  a  pro  rata  of  two  to 
one;  to  the  district  of  western  Washington  and  British  Columbia,  a 
pro  rata  of  three  to  one;  and  to  that  of  eastern  Washington  and 
northern  Idaho  of  four  to  one.  This  pro  rata  was  continued  under 
the  district  arrangement  until  1887,  when  the  Superintendent  of  Mis- 
sions resigned,  and  the  work  was  then  carried  on  under  general  mis- 
sionaries until  1894,  when  Rev.  H.  C.  Woods,  D.  D.,  accepted  the 
office  of  Superintendent  of  Missions. 

During  this  time  the  Puget  Sound  Association  covered  this 
field  of  western  Washington  and  British  Columbia,  and  appointed  its 
Executive  Committee  to  advise  with  the  general  missionary.  In 
1888  the  Association  was  divided,  the  northwestern  Convention  was 
organized,  and  the  supervision  of  the  work  passed  under  the  con- 
trol of  the  Convention,  which  soon  entered  into  co-operation  with  the 
society  on  substantially  the  same  plan  as  that  of  1880,  with  a  modified 
pro  rata. 

Amid  all  these  changes,  the  unwavering  aim  and  purpose  of  the 
society  has  all  the  while  been  to  do  its  utmost  to  develop  the  whole 
field;  and  in  every  vicissitude  through  which  the  Convention  passed, 
it  has  appropriated  funds  to  the  field  and  adopted  measures  for  its 
development  to  the  full  extent  of  its  ability,  and  often  an  average  ap- 
propriation exceeding  that  to  other  needy  fields  because  of  the  grow- 
ing convictions  of  its  managers  that  here  on  the  Pacific  Coast  it 
was  in  charge  of  the  most  important  mission  district  it  controlled  at 
the  close  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The  history  of  the  Northwest 
Baptist  Convention  from  its  birth  is  closely  and  intimately  linked 
with  that  of  the  Home  Mission  Society.  It  found  the  Home  Mission 
Society  in  charge  of  the  whole  field,  more  than  half  of  its  churches 
being  under  the  patronage  of  that  society,  one-half  of  its  ministers 
in  its  employ,  and  with  appropriations  to  the  field  which  were  limited 
only  by  the  absolute  limitations  of  the  treasury.  The  society's  plans 
were  matured,  and  its  arms  were  extended  to  welcome  the  coming  of 
the  Convention,  and  to  give  it  practically  full  control  of  the  opera- 
tions on  this  field.  The  Convention  entered  upon  the  occupation  of  a 
field  already  manned  and  organized  for  its  work. 

If  the  advent  of  any  other  Baptist  Convention  has  such  a  history, 
the  author  has  not  read  it.  That  this  Convention  will  prove  itself 
competent  and  trustworthy,  he  has  no  doubt.  The  Home  Mis- 
sion Society  began  its  work  in  co-operation  with  this  Convention 
at  a  time  when  it  needed  a  strong  controlling  force  on  the  field — 
men  who  could  carry  burdens  and  overcome  obstacles  and  plan 
campaigns  better  than  the  average  man.  The  "  boom  "  was  reaching 
its  height.  The  desolation  by  fire  came.  The  panic  followed.  The 
society  needed  strong  men  at  the  helm,  and  it  had  them  in  New  York ; 
and  it  needed  men  of  ability,  courage,  and  faith,  in  the  Northwest, 
and  it  found  them.  Half  a  century  of  Christian  work  on  the 
Northwest    Coast    was    in    peril.      Should    they    yield    now    it    would 


THE        MISSION    STAR        ABIDES  44 1 

require  the  ensuing  half-century  to  regain  what  was  lost.  Now 
was  the  acceptable  time  to  act ;  the  need  must  be  met  now ;  and  this 
everlasting  now  must  be  confronted  by  the  co-ordinate  bodies  with 
men  whose  characters  for  stability,  courage,  and  forecast  showed 
that  they  had  been  manifestly  raised  up  by  God  to  plan,  act,  and 
control  in  this  great  emergency. 

The  details  of  the  co-ordinate  work  from  1885-1900  will  be 
found  under  the  head  of  "  Organized  Work."'  The  following  statistics 
will  show  the  growth  of  the  work  and  the  status  of  the  society  in 
western  Washington  and  British  Columbia  in  1900,  when  this  history 
closes :  the  number  of  churches  was  seventy-six,  and  the  total  mem- 
bership was  three  thousand  eight  hundred  and  eighty-one,  though 
British  Columbia  had  organized  a  Convention  in  1897  and  taken  out 
eleven  churches  and  about  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
members.  The  value  of  the  church  property  was  $144,550.  The 
number  of  Sunday-schools  was  sixty-seven,  and  their  enrolment  was 
five  thousand  two  hundred  and  thirteen.  The  annual  contributions 
of  the  churches  for  all  local  purposes,  in  1900,  amounted  to  $27,525.90; 
for  benevolences,  improvements,  debts,  etc.,  $28,773.33 ;  total,  $56.- 
299.23.  There  were  under  commission  thirty-three  missionaries, 
supplying  sixty-nine  churches  and  outstations.  The  Home  Mission 
Society  had  contributed  to  the  work  of  the  Convention  $9,583.68. 
The  Convention  had  raised  for  its  share  in  the  work  $2,395.92. 

In  all  this  growth  there  were  not  half  a  dozen  churches  which 
had  continued  in  existence  that  had  not  been  aided  by  the  Society. 
The  society  entered  the  twentieth  century  with  a  growing  harmony,  an 
increasing  influence  and  helpfulness  that  promised  great  things  for  the 
twentieth  century.  The  men  who  have  served  as  eyes  for  the  society, 
and  under  w'hose  administration  the  society  has  reached  such  remark- 
able results,  were  its  Superintendents  of  Missions,  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker, 
Rev.  H.  C.  W^oods,  D.  D..  and  Rev.  C.  A.  Wooddy,  D.  D.,  the  last 
being  the  first  official  of  the  society  on  this  field  at  the  opening  of 
the  new  century,  and  its  general  missionaries.  Rev.  J.  Sunderland. 
D.  D.,  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper,  and  Rev.  W^  E.  Randall,  the  last  still 
serving  at  the  close  of  the  old  century. 

The  Home  Mission  Society  thus  holds  an  honored  place  in 
Baptist  work  on  the  Northwest  Coast,  not  only  in  the  States  of 
Oregon,  Washington,  and  Idaho,  but  also  in  British  Columbia,  in 
which  Province  it  assumed  a  great  responsibility  and  performed  a 
great  service.  The  work  done  in  the  Province  appears  in  the  tables 
of  the  Northwest  Convention,  to  which  the  provincial  churches 
belonged  until  they  organized  a  separate  Convention  on  their  own 
territory  in  1897,  taking  away  eleven  churches  and  over  eleven  hun- 
dred  members,   with   seven   among  the   strongest   pastors. 

From  1888-1900  there  were  three  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
ninety-four  baptisms  reported,  besides  a  large  number  of  converts  who 
went  into  other  churches.     It  would  be  an  error  to  leave  the  impres- 


442       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

sion  that  this  great  work  for  the  Master  was  to  be  attributed  to  the 
society  alone.  The  officials  of  the  Convention  deserve  equal  praise. 
With  this  advance  of  the  denomination  a  large  number  of  eminent 
/riymen  and  successful  business  men  have  come  to  the  front,  and  the 
Convention  enters  the  twentieth  century  with  a  class  of  leaders  who 
have  qualifications  of  a  high  order,  and  are  recognized  as  the  peers 
even  cf  those  who  manage  the  great  society  in  the  East. 

Thus  the  Home  Mission  Society,  holding  in  trust  the  beneficence 
of  the  churches,  has  done  wisely  to  appropriate  large  sums  to  aid  the 
Northwest  Baptist  Convention,  occupying  as  it  does  the  strategic 
point  among  all  the  organizations  of  the  Baptists  west  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  It  is  probable  that  methods  of  work  will  change,  but 
the  spirit  of  fellowship  and  brotherliness  and  devotion  to  each  other's 
interests,  in  presenting  the  cause  of  the  blessed  Master,  will  increase 
with  the  coming  years.  Great  opportunities  are  opening  up  before 
the  society  and  the  Convention  as  true  yokefellows.  The  "  mission 
star  "  abides. 


PART  IX 
PERSONAL  SKETCHES 


Rev.  C.  H.  Mattoon 


PERSONAL   SKETCHES 


Vincent    Snelling 

The  first  Baptist  minister  on  the  Pacific  Coast;  born  of  Baptist 
parents  in  1897  in  Christian  County,  Ky. ;  converted  at  the  age  of 
thirteen ;  was  ordained  in  Missouri ;  came  to  Oregon  in  1844.  Pastor 
of  the  First  Baptist  church  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  West  Union,  in 
Oregon.  Baptized  the  first  Baptist  convert  on  the  coast.  He  died 
at  his  son's  home  in  Yreka,  Cal.,  in  1856.  See  full  sketch  of  his  life 
in  Mattoon's  Oregon  "  Annals,"  Vol.  I. 

Rev.   C.   H.   Mattoon 

He  was  a  native  of  New  York,  born  in  1826.  His  parents 
were  old-school  Presbyterians.  He  was  raised  and  educated  in  that 
faith,  graduated  from  a  Presbyterian  institution,  Central  College,  in 
Ohio.  He  was  converted  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  and  his  study  of 
the  word  led  him  into  a  Baptist  church.  He  was  a  man  of  strong 
parts,  of  intense  belief,  naturally  radical  in  his  views,  easily  so  in 
his  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures  and  vigorously  so  in  defending 
the  special  tenets  of  his  denomination.  He  had  a  logical  mind,  and 
was  no  mean  antagonist.  His  intense  logic  led  him  to  equally 
intense  conscientious  convictions  concerning  the  doctrines  and  ordi- 
nances of  the  gospel.  He  very  easily  and  naturally  drifted  into  the 
habit  of  giving  the  legal  side  of  the  doctrines  and  ordinances  of  the 
gospel  an  overshadowing  importance  in  his  teaching  and  preaching. 
So  much  was  this  so  that  he  was  regarded  by  many  as  old-school,  and 
in  the  natural  course  of  events  he  became  and  was  called  and  recog- 
nized as  a  '■  Landmarker,"  a  cognomen  he  rather  relished  and 
acknowledged. 

The  author  does  not  think  he  was  a  disciple  of  Rev.  J-  R- 
Graves,  D.  D.,  the  father  of  Landmarkism,  but  he  became  a  veritable 
apostle  of  the  doctrines,  a  legal  church,  a  legal  candidate,  and  a  legal 
administrator  being  necessary  to  a  scriptural  baptism,  church-mem- 
bership, and  the  Lord's  Supper.  Their  doctrine  required  repentance, 
faith  in  the  blood  of  Jesus  as  the  Son  of  God,  and  regeneration  by 
the  Spirit  as  a  prerequisite  to  salvation,  to  baptism,  church-member- 
ship, and  the  Lord's  Supper.  Such  stress  laid  upon  the  legal  in  the 
plan  of  redemption  rendered  necessary  "  apostolic  succession  "  in  the 
denomination.  Brother  Mattoon  was  not  so  strenuous  on  the  doctrine 
of  succession,  but  was  always  tenacious  upon  the  general  teachings 
involved,  though  recognizing  the  great  body  of  Baptist  churches  of  the 
nineteenth  century  as  regular. 

Brother  Mattoon  crossed  the  plains  in  1851  in  the  same  company 
in   which   Rev.   G.   C.   Chandler,   D.   D..   and   Rev.   J.    S.   Read   came. 

445 


44^       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

He  took  membership  in  the  West  Union  church  the  same  year.  This 
was  the  pioneer  Baptist  church  of  the  Pacific  Coast.  In  1853  ^^  was 
licensed  to  preach  by  the  Shiloh  church,  where  he  had  his  member- 
ship at  that  time.  In  1854-1855  he  was  Bible  agent  of  the  American 
Bible  Union.  In  1856,  seeing  the  great  need  of  some  source  of  com- 
munication between  the  churches,  he  began  the  publication  of  a 
Baptist  paper,  which  survived  but  half  a  year,  the  Baptist  con- 
stituency being  too  small  at  that  time  to  support  a  periodical.  Still  it 
was  a  seed  planted  in  good  soil,  and  yielded  fruit  by  bringing  news 
to  many  of  the  new  homes  from  the  various  churches  and  the  Baptist 
brotherhood. 

Brother  Mattoon  was  married  in  i860,  going  back  to  Ohio  and 
taking  a  schoolmate  for  his  wife.  Returning  with  him  to  Oregon  she 
became  an  active  church  worker,  and  is  described  by  those  who 
knew  her  as  being  one  of  God's  noble  women.  Brother  Mattoon  was 
ordained  to  the  ministry  in  1871  by  the  Pleasant  Butte  church  at 
Brownsville,  Ore.,  and  was  most  of  the  time  employed  in  some 
ministerial  service. 

The  author  has  known  him  personally  since  1875;  has  had  him 
frequently  as  a  guest  in  his  home.  He  met  him  at  Associations  and 
Conventions,  and  all  sorts  of  denominational  gatherings,  in  which  he 
was  a  constant  visitor,  always  with  pencil  and  memorandum  book 
in  his  hand,  gathering  statistics,  and  scarcely  anything  baptistic 
worth  preserving  for  historical  data  escaped  him.  Indeed,  he  is 
worthily  known  as  the  Baptist  historian  of  the  Upper  Coast,  including 
Oregon,  Washington,  Idaho,  Utah,  British  Columbia,  and  Alaska. 
Over  a  large  part  of  this  territory,  excepting  Alaska,  he  has  personally 
visited  the  churches  and  taken  the  data  from  their  early  records, 
and  probably  he  has  gathered  the  most  reliable  continuous  historical 
data  of  Baptist  history  on  the  North  Coast  extant,  covering  fifty 
consecutive  years.  The  author  has  for  a  score  of  years  anticipated 
the  publication  of  this  historical  data  by  Brother  Mattoon  himself,  in 
one  or  more  volumes,  and  given  his  advice  and  influence  to  ac- 
complish this  result,  which  Brother  Mattoon  himself  also  expected  to 
accomplish,  but  did  not  succeed  in  doing,  the  reason  being  fully 
stated  by  himself  in  this  volume  in  which  he  sets  forth  his  purpose 
in  gathering  this  historical  data,  his  method  of  obtaining  it,  and 
the  disposition  he  has  made  of  it  under  proper  headings. 

During  the  delay,  and  while  Brother  Mattoon  was  gathering 
his  data,  he  has  published  largely  from  his  manuscript  himself,  and 
allowed  others  to  draw  from  it  for  writing  historical  articles.  In 
this  way  much  of  his  valuable  matter  has  reached  a  limited  number 
of  people,  but  no  permanent  volume  was  undertaken  until  1905.  In 
that  year  he  copyrighted  Vol.  I  of  the  "  Baptist  Annals  of  Oregon," 
the  publication  of  which  was  undertaken  by  the  Oregon  Baptist  State 
Convention,  and  carried  to  a  successful  issue  by  a  publishing  commit- 
tee, three  of  its  prominent  men  being  appointees  of  the  Convention  for 


PERSONAL    SKETCHES  447, 

such  a  service,  the  volume  bringing  the  Oregon  history  down  to 
1886.  This  committee  also  provided  for  taking  up  in  the  future 
the  publication  of  a  second  volume  of  Oregon  history. 

In  Brother  Mattoon's  statement,  already  referred  to,  he  gives  in- 
formation of  the  final  disposition  of  his  "  Annals,"  and  the  reason  for 
the  same. 

Although  Brother  Mattoon  has  not  reached  such  results  as  he 
had  at  heart,  nor  such  compensation  as  he  richly  deserves,  yet  he 
has  given  to  the  denomination  a  treasure  of  historical  data  that  will 
greatly  enrich  the  denomination  when  published,  and  will  go  into 
the  archives  of  the  Baptist  history  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  a 
rich  legacy  for  the  future  historian. 

Such  was  the  character  and  value  of  these  "  Annals "  as 
estimated  by  the  author  of  this  volume  that  he  delayed  its  publica- 
tion for  several  years  to  give  Brother  Mattoon  the  right  of  way  until 
his  "  Annals  "  were  published  in  1905.  There  appearing  no  apparent 
provision  for  issuing  the  "  Annals "  of  Brother  Mattoon  covering 
western  Washington,  British  Columbia,  and  Alaska,  the  author  was 
urged  to  take  up  and  complete  the  history  of  Baptist  work  on  the 
North  Pacific  Coast,  the  materials  for  which  he  had  been  gathering 
since  he  entered  upon  official  denominational  work  on  the  field  in  1875, 
the  bulk  of  which  he  had  compiled  and  largely  written,  down  to  1890. 
He  had  been  made  historical  secretary  of  the  Northwest  Baptist  Con- 
vention, and  chairman  of  its  historical  committee.  The  Convention 
was  asking  for  a  history  covering  its  field  of  operations,  and  from 
many  other  sources  the  author  was  urged  to  take  up  and  finish  his 
work.  The  character  of  this  urging  was  such  that  he  determined  to 
take  up  the  work  and  issue  the  volume  at  the  earliest  possible  date, 
and  by  advice  of  many  prominent  brothers  to  bring  it  down  to  the 
close  of  the  nineteenth  century,  which  he  determined  to  do. 

Entering  into  correspondence  with  Brother  Mattoon,  he  at- 
tempted to  secure  full  publication  of  all  his  unpublished  "  Annals  "  in 
a  second  volume,  abridging  his  own  and  his,  letting  this  volume 
cover  all  the  field,  less  what  had  already  been  published  in  the 
first  Oregon  volume,  so  arranged  as  to  make  them  companion 
volumes,  covering  the  whole  territory.  When  this  could  not  be 
accomplished,  the  author  decided  to  complete  his  work  without 
further  reference  to  Brother  Mattoon's  "  Annals."  But  in  the  lapse  of 
time  the  stockholders  having  control  of  his  "  Annals  "  advised  him  to 
divide  his  "  Annals "  covering  territory  outside  of  Oregon,  giving 
eastern  Washington  and  northern  Idaho  the  use  of  his  "  Annals  "  cov- 
ering that  territory,  and  western  Washington.  British  Columbia,  and 
Alaska  if  satisfactory  arrangements  could  be  made,  with  suitable  men 
obtained  to  handle  them.  This  opened  the  way  again  for  the  author 
to  give  the  territory  west  of  the  Cascades  and  north  of  Oregon  the  full 
benefit  of  Brother  Mattoon's  "  .A.nnals,"  supplementing  the  full  history 
of  the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention,  which  he  was  asked  especially 


448       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

to  write.  Taking  up  the  matter  again  with  Brother  Mattoon  and  his 
stockholders,  he  finally  perfected  a  contract  with  them  for  the  ex- 
clusive use  in  his  own  book  of  the  "  Annals  "  on  the  territory  named, 
in  consideration  of  which  use  he  agreed  to  pay  Brother  Mattoon  a 
royalty  of  twenty-five  cents  per  volume  on  all  books  sold  for  the  term 
of  eight  years  from  its  publication.  The  use  the  author  has  made  of 
the  "  Annals  "  appears  in  the  Preface  of  this  work.  Brother  Mattoon, 
in  1910,  is  still  active  in  an  attempt  to  bring  out  the  second  volume  of 
his  Oregon  "  Annals,"  in  which  he  is  seconded  by  his  Oregon 
brethren. 

We  desire  to  give  special  prominence  to  the  five  following 
brethren  as  general  missionaries  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast. 

Rev.  E.  Curtiss 

Rev.  E.  Curtiss,  of  Michigan,  was  sent  as  general  missionary  by 
the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  to  the  Territory  of 
Oregon  in  1891.  He  served  in  this  capacity  until  1872,  when 
failing  health  caused  him  to  resign  and  return  to  his  home  in 
Michigan,  after  eighteen  months'  service.  Brother  Curtiss  was  a 
personal  acquaintance  and  friend  of  the  author.  He  was  a  man 
highly  esteemed  by  his  brethren  in  Michigan,  holding  many  positions 
of  trust;  was  the  father  and  editor  of  the  Michigan  Christian  Herald. 
He  held  a  pastorate  in  Greenville  of  that  State  after  his  return 
from  Oregon.  A  letter  from  him  appears  in  another  part  of 
this  work  after  the  great  missionary  revival  began. 

Rev.  J.  C.  Richardson 

Rev.  J.  C.  Richardson  was  the  second  general  missionary  for 
Baptists  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  His  appointment  practically 
covered  the  territory  covered  by  Rev.  E.  Curtiss.  He  was  the  first 
appointee  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  and  Educational  Society,  under 
which  title  the  general  work  for  the  North  Coast  was  reorganized 
in  1877,  and  became  continuous.  Brother  Richardson  was  commis- 
sioned in  the  fall  of  1877.  He  was  a  native  of  Missouri,  bom  in 
1832;  came  to  Oregon  in  1846;  converted  in  1861,  and  ordained  1862. 
He  was  a  natural  evangelist,  educated  in  the  common  schools ;  pre- 
pared himself  for  his  work  with  a  Bible  and  Webster's  Dictionary.  It 
is  safe  to  say  that  hundreds  of  souls  were  converted  under  his  min- 
istry as  evangelist  and  pastor.  He  served  as  general  missionary  for 
nearly  two  years  with  eminent  success,  and  lived  to  bless  the  world 
in  winning  souls. 

Rev.  J.  T.  Huff 

The  next  and  third  general  missionary  was  Rev.  J.  T.  Huff, 
who  was  the  second  appointee  of  the  Missionary  and  Educational 
Society,  and  was  commissioned  in  July,  1878.     He  was  a  native  of 


Rev.    E.    Curtiss 


Rev.  J.  T.  Huff 


Rev.    A.   J.    Hunsaker 


PERSONAL    SKETCHES  44^ 

New  York,  born  in  1821,  of  Methodist  and  Dutch  Reformed  stock. 
He  was  educated  at  Albion  Theological  Seminary,  New  York.  He 
came  to  California  in  the  early  fifties,  was  ordained  at  Clear  Lake, 
Cal.  He  preached  much  in  the  camps  to  the  miners.  He  was  called 
to  the  pastorate  at  Oregon  City,  Ore.,  in  the  seventies,  and  was 
called  from  that  pastorate  as  general  missionary  in  July,  1878.  His 
work  was  arduous  and  successful.  Among  others  he  organized  the 
New  Westminster  church  in  the  city  of  that  name  in  British  Co- 
lumbia. He  also  aided  in  organizing  the  Idaho  Baptist  Association 
at  Boise  City,  the  first  Baptist  Association  organized  in  that  Ter- 
ritory. In  his  later  years  he  was  pastor  at  Oysterville,  where  he  was 
cared  for  for  some  years  by  Deacon  Espey  and  wife. 

Rev.  a.  J.  HuNSAKER 

The  fourth  general  missionary,  and  first  to  bear  the  commission 
of  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  successor  of 
the  Baptist  Missionary  and  Educational  Society,  was  Rev.  A.  J. 
Hunsaker.  He  was  a  Scotch  Englishman,  born  in  Illinois  in  Janu- 
ary, 1834;  came  to  Oregon  with  his  parents  in  1847;  was  converted  in 
1853;  licensed  in  1869,  and  ordained  in  1871.  After  several  successful 
pastorates  he  was  called  into  the  general  work  in  1879,  and  con- 
tinued in  it  for  four  and  a  half  years,  becoming  the  second  general 
missionary  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  for  the 
North  Pacific  Coast  in  October,  1881,  when  that  society  and  the 
Convention  entered  into  co-operation.  Brother  Hunsaker  was  among 
the  most  influential  men  in  planning  and  carrying  forward  our 
mission  work  in  those  early  days,  and  stands  second  to  no  other 
general  missionary  in  laying  foundations  upon  which  his  successors 
could  erect  the  larger  sti"ucture  of  denominational  growth. 

Rev.    S.   E.    Stearns 

His  life  and  work  having  brought  into  existence  more  of  our 
churches  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast  than  any  other  man,  is  thus 
remembered  by  the  Northwestern  Baptist  Association  at  its  annual 
meeting  in  June,  1891 : 

Resolved,  That  the  death  of  Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns,  of  Palouse  Associ- 
ation, touches  one  of  our  earliest  pioneers,  having  served  as  colporter  and 
missionary  from  i86g  till  1874  on  Puget  Sound,  under  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society.  His  memory  is  connected  with  the  early 
history  of  the  older  churches,  such  as  Seattle,  Olympia,  and  LaConner. 

In  connection  with  Rev.  R.  Weston,  who  still  survives  him  as 
the  first  missionary  of  Washington ;  Rev.  E.  Curtiss.  then  general 
missionary  of  Oregon ;  Rev.  Joseph  Casto,  then  pastor  at  Elma ; 
and  Rev.  P.  H.  Harper,  then  licentiate  of  Elma.  he  helped  organize 
the  Puget  Sound  Association  in  October,  1871,  at  Olympia.     He  also 

2D 


450       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

traveled  in  the  southwest  portion  of  the  State  and  organized  the 
Oysterville  church.  Being  driven  by  disease  to  a  drier  cHmate, 
he  turned,  in  1874,  to  the  Palouse  country,  where  riding  along  over 
the  broad  plains,  canvassing  every  budding  town  and  city,  and  in 
many  erecting  churches,  he  built  an  empire  for  himself  in  his 
Master's  service,  over  which  for  fifteen  years  he  held  loving  and 
patient  sway. 

Lemuel   J.    Holgate 

Lemuel  J.  Holgate  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in  1834.  He 
came  to  Seattle  at  the  age  of  twenty  years,  following  his  brother, 
J.  C.  Holgate,  who  was  the  first  white  settler  on  Elliott  Bay,  in 
1850.  He  was  the  first  person  baptized  in  the  Puget  Sound  country. 
He  was  received  as  a  candidate  by  the  Puyallup  church  in  1867.  and 
baptized  by  Rev.  R.  Weston  in  the  White  River,  preferring  to  be 
baptized  near  his  home  in  the  presence  of  his  neighbors.  He 
became  one  of  the  constituent  members  of  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  Seattle,  and  held  the  office  of  deacon  for  twelve  consecutive  years. 
The  church  and  cause  of  Christ  were  always  upon  his  heart.  At  one 
time  in  the  early  days,  when  judgment  was  brought  against  the 
church,  he  assumed  the  debt,  and  after  exhausting  his  ability  to 
collect  money,  paid  the  last  $250  out  of  his  own  hard  earnings.  He 
was  an  enthusiastic  worker  in  both  Association  and  Convention.  The 
author  has  often  seen  him  coming  to  the  rescue  when  some  difficult 
personal  task  or  burden  was  to  be  borne  from  which  others  shrank. 
He  hardly  ever  failed  to  bring  in  a  report  of  success,  though  often 
at  great  personal  sacrifice,  and  always  rejoiced  with  others  over 
its  accomplishment.  Such  was  his  love  for  the  Master.  The  last 
two  years  of  his  life  were  given  to  the  church  at  Kent,  and  the 
last  effort  of  his  life  was  planning  to  raise  the  last  debt  of  the 
church,  to  accomplish  which  he  gave  one-third  the  amount.  He 
departed  this  life  October  21,  1892."  His  was  a  life  of  service  for 
the  Master.     His  works  do  follow  him. 

Mrs.  a.  J.  Hanford 

Mrs.  A.  J.  Hanford  was  among  the  constituent  members  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  of  Seattle.  Indeed,  she  might  well  be  called 
the  mother  of  that  highly  favored  church.  The  church  and  Sunday- 
school  were  organized  in  her  house.  She  was  secretary  of  the 
first  woman's  society  of  the  church,  Mrs.  J.  Lacy  being  president. 
She  organized  its  first  mission  band.  The  pastor,  or  visiting 
ministers,  were  always  welcome  guests  in  her  home.  She  delighted 
to  entertain  any  one  who  loved  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Often  has 
the  author  shared  her  hospitality,  and  often  heard  her  pray  in  her 
own  house  for  the  church,  for  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  especially  for 
the  promising  sons  the  Lord  had  given  her.  She  asked  God  to  make 
them  men  of  honor  and  usefulness  in  the  world.     Such  prayers  must 


PERSONAL    SKETCHES  45 1' 

be  answered.  But  few  family  names  in  the  now  great  city  are  per- 
petuated and  as  often  heard  uttered  as  the  name  of  Hanford,  and 
few  are  more  highly  esteemed. 

Her  vivid  picture  of  the  Indian  outbreak  and  attack  upon 
Seattle,  and  how  the  people  were  saved  from  massacre  can  never 
be  forgotten.  And  when  she  closed  the  recital,  with  tears  of  thank- 
fulness flowing  from  her  eyes,  she  said :  "  Brother  Baker,  the  Lord 
spared  us  and  our  children  in  answer  to  our  prayers."  I  could  only 
reply,  "  You  are  right.  God  only  can  give  such  deliverances,  and 
his  promise  is  sure  !  '  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my  name  that  will 
I  do  that  the  Father  may  be  glorified  in  the  Son.'  "  Her  faith  was 
largely  wrought  into  the  church,  and  frequently  came  to  the  rescue 
in  times  of  emergency.  She  was  modest  and  retiring.  She  never 
sought  preferment,  and  yet  she  was  often  preferred  in  her  church 
life,  and  her  unconscious  influence  is  an  undercurrent  still  in  the 
church  she  delighted  to  serve. 

She  is  still  alive  at  the  close  of  this  history,  though  from  age 
and  infirmity  her  personal  activities  have  ceased.  She  is  still  held  in 
high  esteem  by  the  First  Baptist  Church  and  large  numbers  of 
Christians  and  friends  outside  of  her  own  church   home. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Holgate 

The  following  sketch  was  written  by  Mrs.  A.  J.  Hanford,  the 
daughter  of  Mrs.  Holgate : 

My  mother,  now  eighty-two  years  old,  was  baptized  into  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  when  she  was 
eighteen  years  of  age.  Her  husband  and  mother  were  among  the  seven 
constituent  members  of  that  church.  Rev.  Obadiah  Newcomb  was  the 
pastor.  Mrs.  Holgate,  then  Miss  Jones,  was  a  teacher  in  the  Sunday- 
school  of  this  church,  the  first  Baptist  Sunday-school  west  of  the 
Alleghany  Mountains.  It  was  organized  by  Rev.  Mr.  Psigest,  of  New 
York.  She  was  also  one  of  eight  yoimg  girls  of  the  Pittsburgh  church 
who  districted  the  city  and  solicited  funds  for  the  American  Baptist 
Foreign  Mission  Society,  which  then  supported  Rev.  Adoniram  Judson  on 
the  foreign  field.  Mrs.  Holgate,  her  daughter  Mrs.  A.  J.  Hanford,  her 
sister  Mrs.  Carr,  and  Mrs.  Hanford's  husband  and  son,  C.  H.  Hanford. 
were  among  the  constituent  members  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of 
Seattle.  Mrs.  Holgate  gave  the  lot  on  which  was  erected  the  building 
which  the  church  used,  with  improvements  and  rebuilding,  for  over 
thirty  years. 

Judge  C.  H.  Hanford 

Hon.  C.  H.  Hanford,  of  Seattle,  who  was  nominated  by  Presi- 
dent Harrison  and  confirmed  by  the  Senate  for  United  States  Judge 
for  Washington,  was  converted  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  and  baptized 
by  Rev.  D.  B.  Cheney.  D.  D..  into  the  fellowship  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church  of  San  Francisco,  in  May.  1863.  He  became  one  of  the  con- 
stituent members  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Seattle,  organized 
December  i,  1869.  with  his  mother  and  grandmother,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Holgate. 


45^       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Rev.    J.    A.    Wirth 

Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth  was  a  native  of  Switzerland.  His  first 
American  record  available  was  on  board  of  the  man-of-war  Decatur 
in  Elliot  Bay,  when,  by  her  timely  arrival,  she  saved  Seattle  from  a 
general  massacre  by  firing  with  her  howitzer  upon  the  Indians, 
dispersing  them  into  the  forests. 

Brother  Wirth  was  a  midshipman  on  board  that  vessel,  and  being 
charmed  with  the  city  site  and  lovely  bay,  determined  to  make  it 
his  home  some  time  in  the  future.  He  left  the  ship  at  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  became  connected  with  the  seamen's  Bethel  of  that  city. 
Dr.  H.  A.  Sawtelle,  then  pastor  of  the  Union  Square,  or  Second 
Baptist  Church  in  that  city,  gives  the  following  quotation  from  his 
diary  in  a  letter  to  the  author,  under  date  of  August  31,  1863,  pub- 
lished in  the  Baptist  Beacon  March  i,  1879: 

James  Albert  Wirth,  assistant  missionary  of  the  Mariner's  Church 
of  this  city,  visited  me  and  expressed  a  desire  to  withdraw  from  the 
Bethel,  and  offered  himself  for  membership  in  the  Second  Baptist 
Church.  Brother  Wirth  has  once  been  a  member  of  a  small  Baptist 
church  now  extinct.  He  has  preached  in  English  as  well  as  in  German. 
He  desires  to  devote  himself  to  study  for  a  year ;  he  will  study  exegesis, 
theology,  and  homiletics  under  my  direction.  He  alreadj-  reads  the 
Greek  Testament  with  ease. 

He  made  commendable  record  in  his  studies,  and  Doctor  Sawtelle 
preached  the  sermon  at  his  ordination  at  Santa  Cruz,  where  he  was 
first  settled  as  pastor.  Doctor  Sawtelle,  a  personal  friend  of  the 
author,  wrote  from  Chelsea,  Mass.,  where  he  had  seen  accounts  of 
his  work  published  in  the  Baptist  Beacon,  "  I  have  taken  delight  in 
his  honorable  service."  He  was  installed  as  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  in  Seattle  January  i,  1875,  coming  from  Oregon  City, 
Ore.,  where  he  had  been  a  successful  pastor  from  1870-1874. 

His  career  from  this  period  will  be  found  connected  with  the 
First  Church  at  Seattle,  and  in  Alaska  under  that  head.  Soon  after 
returning  from  that  field  to  Seattle  his  beloved  and  honored  wife  was 
called  to  her  reward.  After  the  death  of  his  wife  he  went  to  New 
Haven,  Conn.  He  died  among  friends  in  that  city  on  the  first  day 
of  January,  1891,  following  his  beloved  companion  to  the  upper  fold 
in   four  and  a  half  months. 

The  following  testimony  to  the  character  and  work  of  Rev.  J.  A. 
Wirth  was  adopted  by  the  Northwestern  Baptist  Association  at 
its   annual   session   in    1891  : 

Resolved.  That  in  the  death  of  Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth  we  mourn  the  loss 
of  a  wise  counselor,  an  advocate  of  Baptist  principles,  a  genial  friend, 
and  an  earnest  pioneer  jf  our  Association.  Having  been  for  nine  years 
the  pastor  of  the  only  self-supporting  church  of  our  faith  on  Puget 
Sound,  he  fostered  and  built  up  this  mother  of  churches  in  the  form- 
ative period  of  Christian  work,  and  his  influence  remains  permanently 
interwoven  with  almost  every  project  now  commanding  our  respect  and 
attention.    For  three  years  secretary  of  the  first  mission  Board  formed  on 


PERSONAL    SKETCHES  453r 

the  Sound,  his  judicious  advice  entered  into  every  appointment  and 
shaped  the  course  of  the  churches  at  Victoria,  Westminster,  Whatcom. 
LaConner,  White  River,  and  Seattle. 

He  made  the  first  address  at  Centralia  in  the  organization  of  Grace 
Seminary  in  1884. 

As  founder  of  the  school  for  Eskimo  at  Afognak,  Alaska,  he 
labored  for  three  years,  beginning  without  a  single  person  on  the 
island  who  could  understand  one  word  he  uttered.  He  mastered  the 
Russian  language  without  a  teacher,  gathered  a  large  school,  which  he 
left  with  many  regrets  only  because  the  rapidly  declining  health  of  Mrs. 
Wirth  demanded  immediate  change  of  climate  and  surroundings. 

It  is  said  the  natives  still  watch  every  boat  that  lands,  saying. 
"  Perhaps  the  teacher  will  come  back  to  us."  Mrs.  Sarah  Wirth  was  for 
many  years  the  leader  of  the  Foreign  Mission  Society  in  Seattle,  and 
cheerfully  left  home  and  friends  when  over  fifty  years  of  age  to  share 
with  her  husband  the  hardships  and  dangers  of  a  life  among  savages. 

She  survived  her  husband's  return  less  than  a  year.  Her  husband 
revised  his  will,  settled  his  affairs,  served  on  the  first  committee  for  the 
University  of  Seattle,  to  which  he  willed  $5,000  and  his  library,  and  went 
East,  to  die  suddenly  far  from  home  and  people. 

Rev.  B.  N.  L.  Davis 

The  first  time  the  author  met  this  devoted  brother  was 
in  1882,  at  LaConner,  Skagit  County,  where  the  author  had 
been  requested  to  come  and  examine  conditions  relative  to  the 
establishing  of  the  cause  in  that  important  town  in  the  erection 
of  a  house  of  worship.  Brother  Davis  had  taken  up  the  work  at 
this  place  and  organized  a  church  in  March  of  the  same  year.  He 
lived  eleven  miles  away,  and  had  to  come  to  his  appointments  on  foot 
following  trails  across  what  is  known  as  LaConner  Flats.  On  this 
Sabbath  morning  the  water  was  over  the  Flats,  and  there  was  some 
doubt  if  he  would  be  able  to  reach  his  appointment.  But  good 
Sister  Caches  said:  "He  will  come.  He  comes  sometimes  when 
the  water  is  higher  than  it  is  this  morning."  The  meetings  and 
Sunday-school  were  being  held  in  an  old  barnlike  hall,  once  used 
for  a  schoolhouse.  We  stood  looking  at  the  hall,  wondering  if  the 
pastor  would  come,  or  anybody  else,  when  we  saw  a  man  approach- 
ing with  high-top  gum  boots,  a  coat  and  a  bundle  under  his  arm, 
and  a  long  stick  in  his  hand.  He  looked  like  a  pilgrim,  and 
when  we  greeted  him  with,  "Whither  bound?"  he  replied.  "Is  this 
Brother  Baker?"  I  said,  "Yes,  that's  what  they  call  me  sometimes: 
and  is  this  Brother  Davis,  the  pastor?"  he  replied  with  an  extended 
hand  which,  when  I  grasped,  I  knew  I  had  found  a  friend  and  man  of 
God,  and  ever  after  found  that  my  first  impression  was  correct.  I 
said,  "  You  look  as  if  you  were  prepared  for  emergencies."  "  Yes." 
he  said,  "  I  have  had  to  wade  much  of  the  way ;  the  water  was  up 
to  my  knees,  and  my  long  stick  is  to  protect  me  from  the  pits." 
(Holes  washed  out  by  the  tides.)  "You  must  have  to  start  early; 
they  tell  me  you  have  to  walk  eleven  miles."  "  Yes,"  he  replied,  "  I 
start  before  daybreak.  W^hen  I  get  my  chores  done,  I  take  my  lantern 
and  start  out."     Asking  if  he  had  lost  his  lantern,  he  replied:  "Oh, 


454       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

no;  when  it  gets  to  be  daylight,  I  set  my  lantern  down  on  a  root  or 
stump,  and  then  pick  it  up  on  the  way  back." 

Going  into  a  room  by  himself,  he  came  out  with  his  bundle 
distributed  on  his  feet,  etc.,  looking  much  more  like  a  clergyman. 
We  went  into  the  hall  where  a  good  congregation  had  gathered, 
and  I  am  sure  I  ought  to  have  been  prepared  for  a  sermon  on 
consecration,  having  such  a  living  example  of  it  before  me.  Such 
was  the  spirit  of  the  early  ministry  of  our  Baptist  brotherhood  on 
the  North  Pacific  Coast  in  those  early  days.  For  myself,  I  often  took 
valuable  lessons  from  them  as  I  did  in  this  case.  Preaching  without 
salary,  as  this  man  did,  yet  they  often  had  the  distinction  of  being 
among  our  most  liberal  givers.  This  man  had  the  reputation  of 
giving  the  first  $ioo  that  was  given  to  the  general  work  of  the 
Convention  in  the  Puget  Sound  country.  Later  God  gave  him 
means;  but  this  first  $ioo  was  from  his  hard-earned  work  on  his 
homestead.  Brother  Davis  was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  passed  to 
his  reward  in  1891,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years.  The  following 
appreciative  resolution  was  devoted  to  his  memory  by  the  Northwest- 
ern Baptist  Association  at  their  annual  meeting  in   1891 : 

Resolved,  That  in  the  death  of  Rev.  B.  N.  L.  Davis  the  denomination 
loses  a  worthy  pioneer,  who  for  fifteen  years  contended  earnestly  for 
the  faith  delivered  to  the  saints,  often  walking  over  almost  impassable 
trails  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  poor,  with  no  remuneration  save  the 
Master's  smile,  giving  liberally  to  the  early  mission  work  of  this  section, 
and  for  two  years  faithfully  serving  on  the  first  mission  Board  with 
Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth  and  others.  The  church  edifices  of  Skagit  County, 
LaConner,  and  Mount  Vernon,  are  largely  the  results  of  his  gifts  and 
labors.  Though  for  several  years  engaged  in  temporal  pursuits,  he  has 
been  less  prominent  in  Christian  work ;  he  leaves  a  record  precious  to  his 
brethren. 

Dea.  a.  W.  Kinney 

Dea.  A.  W.  Kinney  was  born  in  Muscatine,  Iowa,  in  1843.  He 
came  to  Oregon  with  his  parents  in  1849.  His  father  settled  at  Mc- 
Minnville,  where  he  established  a  milling  business,  in  which  his  son 
A.  W.  became  proficient.  His  parents  were  efficient  members  of 
the  Baptist  church  in  McMinnville,  where  he  was  converted  at  the 
age  of  sixteen.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Virginia  Newby,  the  ac- 
complished daughter  of  a  prominent  family  of  that  city  in  August, 
1867.  They  remained  in  McMinnville  until  1870,  when  they  removed 
to  Salem  and  established  the  Salem  Flouring  Mills,  which  soon 
took  a  leading  position  in  the  wheat  and  flour  business  of  the  North 
Pacific  Coast.  After  his  father  died,  he  became  sole  owner  of  the 
mills,  and  was  on  the  highway  to  wealth  when  he  died  on  January 
I,  1881. 

His  business  was  extensive,  even  to  shipping  flour  by  the  cargo 
to  Liverpool,  where  he  was  sustaining  a  house  for  its  sale.  His 
plant  and  product  seemed  perfect,  and  large  wealth  was  apparently 
within   his   reach.     He   was  giving   with   scrupulous   exactness  one- 


PERSONAL    SKETCHES  453 

tenth  of  his  income  to  the  Lord,  keeping  a  "  Benevolent  Bank  Ac- 
count," with  a  competent  accountant  with  settlement  and  balance 
sheet  each  year  the  same  as  in  departments  of  his  business.  He  was 
one  of  the  largest  contributors  both  to  missions  and  education. 
He  became  a  member  of  the  Mission  Board  in  1877,  and  treasurer 
of  the  Convention,  which  he  held  until  his  death.  He  was  also  one 
of  the  trustees  of  McMinnville  College,  and  one  of  its  chief  pro- 
moters. He  was  always  faithful  to  his  church.  His  practice  was 
always  to  be  at  all  its  regular  appointments.  He  left  his  business 
on  Saturday  afternoons  once  each  month  to  attend  the  covenant 
meeting  of  the  church.  He  had  the  happy  but  unusual  faculty  of 
leaving  his  business  absolutely  out  of  mind  when  he  came  to  the 
church  meeting,  no  matter  how  complicated  or  important  it  was.  Be- 
hind the  smile  he  always  carried  when  he  came  into  the  house  of 
the  Lord  we  could  sometimes  trace  the  lines  of  heavy  and  compli- 
cated business  transactions ;  yet  they  soon  gave  way  to  the  luster 
of  love  and  interest  for  the  Saviour  and  his  church.  He  loved  the 
prayer  meeting,  and  was  never  too  weary  to  be  in  it.  and  seldom 
missed  speaking  for  Jesus. 

His  influence  upon  business  life  was  remarkable.  In  the  line 
of  influencing  business  men  to  give  money  to  the  cause  of  Christ  he 
was  exceptionally  endowed.  Indeed,  this  was  upon  his  heart  as  a 
special  work.  The  year  before  he  died  he  came  to  his  pastor  for 
conference  and  prayer  over  this  subject.  He  opened  his  heart  as 
inclined  so  to  arrange  his  business  as  to  devote  a  part  of  his  time 
to  this  specific  work.  He  had  large  plans  which  he  hoped  to  be  able 
to  mature  for  the  endowment  of  McMinnville  College  and  mission 
work  on  the  North  Coast.  In  all  this  devotion  to  the  Master  his 
devoted  wife  shared  and  planned  with  him  for  the  glory  of  Christ 
Jesus  and  the  highest  interest  of  his  cause.  She  was  unanimously 
chosen  by  the  Mission  Board  to  fill  out  his  term  as  treasurer,  and 
elected  to  continue  it  at  the  next  Convention. 

In   memoriam   his   pastor   writes : 

Dear  brethren  of  the  Upper  Coast,  one  of  our  strong  men  has  fallen ; 
one  who  combined  as  many  of  the  qualities  which  render  men  beloved, 
honored,  and  remembered  as  is  often  found  in  a  single  individual.  He 
was  taken  at  a  time  when  life  is  the  most  hopeful.  His  life  and  pros- 
perity seemed  almost  necessary  to  our  missionary  and  educational  work. 
Neither  had  a  better  or  more  liberal  friend  and  supporter,  or  one  whose 
plans  for  the  future  were  more  generous  or  extensive.  How  could  we 
spare  him  is  the  question  coming  from  every  direction. 

We  had  thought  of  him  to  become  one  of  the  wealthy  men  who 
would  stand  alongside  of  the  large  givers  of  the  East.  He  had  no 
children,  and  was  holding  his  business  to  be  growingly  productive 
for  the  Lord's  work  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  Such  was  one  of 
the  men  who  was  prominent  in  laying  the  foundation  for  the  growth 
of  the  Baptist  denomination  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  He  was 
worthy  of  this  historical  prominence. 


456       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Rev.  J.  WiCHSER 

He  was  indefatigable;  the  man  who  always  surprised  one;  a  dwarf 
in  stature,  but  a  little  giant  in  mind  and  a  great  giant  in  heart. 
To  look  upon  him,  you  would  think  him  incompetent;  measured 
by  a  finished  work,  he  had  risen  to  a  man  of  strength,  courage,  and 
ability.  His  affianced  by  mail,  whom  he  had  never  met,  came  across 
the  continent  to  marry  him.  She  was  a  woman  of  ability,  and  a 
valuable  helper  in  his  work.  H  he  preached,  he  surprised  you.  If  he 
prayed,  visited  in  your  family,  made  a  report,  wrote  an  article  for 
the  press,  or  defended  denominational  tenets  as  he  believed  the 
Bible  warranted,  he  surprised  you.  If  great  burdens  were  to  be 
borne  to  accomplish  desired  ends  in  Christ's  work,  he  would  sur- 
prise you  again  by  his  courage  to  undertake,  his  fortitude  to  over- 
come, and  results  reached.  If  we  are  permitted  to  know  each  other 
in  the  upper  fold,  we  may  be  still  more  surprised  and  pleased  to  see 
the  high  elevation  of  which  the  Master  counted  him  worthy. 

Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  D.  D.,  writes  of  him  as  a  Swiss  waif  picked 
up  in  Salem,  Ore.,  by  Rev.  G.  C.  Chandler,  D.  D.,  taken  home  with 
him  to  McMinnville,  where  he  was  converted  and  educated  in  Mc- 
Minnville  College,  where  the  doctor  was  president.  He  was  pastor 
at  Damascas,  Ore.,  where  he  was  ordained  in  1874  by  Doctor  Pierce, 
then  pastor  at  Portland,  and  Rev.  J.  A.  Wirth,  pastor  at  Oregon 
City.  He  became  pastor  at  Oysterville,  W.  T.,  in  1876,  where  he 
still  lives  in  blessed  memory.  He  made  the  journey  from  Oysterville 
across  the  country  with  his  wife  on  foot,  blazing  their  way  through 
the  uninhabited  forests,  a  distance  of  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles,  to  Puyallup  in  1878,  where  he  reorganized  the  nearly  extinct 
church,  with  six  members,  and  built  a  meeting-house.  He  also 
finished  another  at  White  River.  The  detail  of  his  work  at  Puyallup 
is  a  marvel.  Of  their  work  it  should  be  said,  for  his  wife  was  his 
constant  companion.  They  established  preaching  stations,  prayer 
meetings,  and  Sunday-schools  over  an  area  reaching  from  seven  to 
thirty  miles,  traveling  mostly  on  foot.  In  building  at  Puyallup. 
which  was  thought  an  impossibility  by  many,  they  carried  a  church- 
basket  and  knapsack  with  them,  in  which  they  gathered  butter,  eggs, 
and  vegetables,  bringing  them  into  market  and  turning  their  proceeds 
over  to  the  church  building.  On  becoming  acquainted  with  their 
effort,  the  Board  of  the  Missionary  and  Educational  Society  obtained 
aid  from  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  for  their  work, 
$100  for  the  salary,  and  $125  to  aid  in  this  building  enterprise,  which 
was  carried  to  completion  and  the  foundation  laid  for  a  church 
having  a  continued  existence  and  becoming  one  of  our  strong  and 
influential  bodies. 

He  next  took  up  the  work  at  Whatcom  in  1883,  where  he  had  as 
strenuous  an  effort  and  more  opposition  than  at  Puyallup.  He 
organized  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  that  important  city,  built  the 


Rev,  D.  J.  Pierce,  D 


PERSONAL    SKETCHES  457 

first  Baptist  meeting-house  in  the  city  and  in  Whatcom  County ;  he 
also  opened  several  preaching  points  in  the  country,  some  of  which 
afterward  grew  into  churches.  Finally,  his  health  broken,  he  removed 
to  southern  Oregon,  where  he  hoped  to  recover  his  wonted  strength, 
hut  the  dear  Lord  had  need  of  him,  and  called  him  up  higher.  The 
Northwestern  Baptist  Association  pays  this  high  tribute  of  love  and 
respect  to  his  memory: 

Rev.  J.  Wichser,  the  first  pastor  of  Whatcom  Church  who  secured, 
and  with  his  own  hands  assisted  in  clearing  the  lots  on  which  the  church 
now  stands,  organized  the  church,  baptized  the  first  candidate  ever  bap- 
tized in  Bellingham  Bay  (Sister  Lewellyn,  who  died  just  before  him,  a 
member  of  the  Whatcom  Church),  with  self-denying  labors  made  the 
larger  prospects  now  before  us  possible.  With  indomitable  perseverance 
he  always  held  a  field  till  his  point  was  carried.  He  never  lost  a  battle, 
never  left  a  church  edifice  to  be  sold,  never  suffered  a  church  difficulty  to 
discourage  him. 

Mrs.  J.  W.  Johnson  writes  of  him  in  the  Pacific  Baptist: 

I  have  known  him  since  he  was  twenty-four  years  of  age.  After 
his  conversion  it  was  wonderful  to  see  the  perseverance  he  showed  in 
obtaining  an  education  in  the  English  language.  I  was  in  school  with  him 
in  what  is  now  McMinnville  College.  It  was  touching  to  see  him  when 
twenty-four  years  of  age  with  his  primer  in  his  hand  going  to  his  class 
with  the  little  children.  (The  college  was  then  carrying  the  public  school 
of  the  town.    Author.) 

She  also  speaks  in  high  esteem  of  Doctor  and  Mrs.  Chandler 
for  their  interest  in  and  kindness  to  Brother  Wichser,  also  of  the 
high  esteem  in  which  his  wife  was  held  as  a  helper  in  his  works. 

Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  D.  D. 

BY    J.    C.    BAKER 

Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  having  been  born  in 
Montpelier  in  1841.  Of  his  parentage  and  early  life  very  little  is 
known  to  the  writer,  nor  does  anything  appear  in  his  biographical 
sketches  of  himself  until  his  student  life  in  Fairfield,  Vt.,  where  he 
graduated  from  the  New  Hampton  Institute  in  August,  1865,  at  the 
age  of  twenty-four  years.  His  first  three  months  of  service  after 
graduation  were  spent  in  canvassing  for  the  "  Life  of  Lincoln,"  and 
left  him  with  "  three  hundred  orders  on  hand,  his  money  all  gone, 
and  the  book  not  yet  out  of  press."  Somewhat  despondent,  he  walked 
twenty-five  miles  to  Derby,  Vt.,  and  "  timidly  rapped  at  the  door  of 
the  pastor.  Rev.  J.  G.  Lorimer,  who  was  a  graduate  from  the  same 
school  as  himself."  He  was  greeted  with:  "Oh.  I  know  the  Lord 
sent  you  here  to  take  charge  of  our  academy,  whose  principal  has  just 
resigned  on  account  of  sickness." 

Entering  upon  this  work,  two  years  of  his  eventful  life  were 
spent  as  principal  of  this  school.     From  this  school  he  entered  New- 


458       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

ton  Theological  Seminary,  took  the  full  course  of  study,  and  in  July, 
1870,  was  appointed  by  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society 
to  take  charge  of  the  church  and  school  at  Laramie  City,  Wyo.  T. 
He  was  married  at  New  London,  N.  H«,  on  July  7,  1870,  and  started 
at  once  for  his  western  home  two  thousand  miles  away,  arriving 
August  28,  where  he  found  a  town  of  two  years'  growth  with  three 
thousand  population,  at  an  elevation  of  seven  thousand  two  hundred 
feet,  a  church  with  six  resident  members,  with  his  nearest  Baptist 
church  neighbor  at  Denver,  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles  away. 

A  building  had  been  erected  for  church  and  school  purposes, 
costing  $5,000,  less  than  one-third  of  which  had  been  paid.  He 
found  "  a  quiet  town  of  New  England  people,  though  but  a  year 
before  the  Vigilance  Committee  had  purged  the  town  by  hanging  five 
men  in  a  single  night."  Characteristically  at  his  first  service  he 
announced  that  they  would  dedicate  the  house  of  worship  in  two 
weeks,  which  he  succeeded  in  doing,  and  started  the  "  Wyoming 
Institute  "'  on  the  Tuesday  following,  which  was  the  first  high  school 
in  Wyoming,  and  registered  thirty  scholars  during  the  first  term. 
The  church  building  was  erected  by  day  labor,  and  the  men  had  not 
been  paid.  Brother  Pierce  borrowed  on  his  own  personal  note  and 
distributed  among  the  creditors  to  prevent  a  lien  being  put  upon 
the  building. 

A  literary  society  was  formed  during  the  first  month,  which 
gathered  "  $100  to  start  the  first  library  in  Wyoming,  which  grew 
in  four  years  to  over  one  thousand  five  hundred  volumes."  A 
Sunday-school  was  organized  on  the  second  Sunday,  and  a  Sunday- 
school  library  of  two  hundred  volumes,  donated  by  the  school  at 
Saxton's  River,  Vt.,  followed. 

An  organ  fund  of  $214  was  raised  and  brought  a  fine  organ 
from  New  York.  A  bell  was  needed  for  school  and  church,  and  one 
coming  from  a  Chicago  firm  weighing  seven  hundred  pounds  arrived 
Saturday  morning,  was  hung  and"  rung  for  service  at  9.30  on 
Sabbath  morning. 

Three  months  passed  and  Brother  Pierce  announced  a  Thanks- 
giving dinner  to  lessen  the  church  debts.  The  people  began  to  be 
enthusiastic  by  this  time,  and  turned  the  social  to  account  for  the 
pastor  by  putting  in  his  hand  a  purse  of  $157,  supplementing  the 
same  with  clothing,  bedding,  furniture,  etc.,  carrying  the  amount 
up  to  $250.  Brother  Pierce  thought  this  opportune,  as  they  had  just 
begun  housekeeping  on  $36  worth  of  second-hand  furniture,  for 
which  he  had  given  his  note  for  ninety  days. 

A  week's  vacation  between  school  terms  found  him  at  the  eight- 
month's-old  town  of  Greeley,  one  hundred  and  ten  miles  away,  where 
he  held  service  on  Sunday,  remaining  until  Wednesday,  having  $1,000 
pledged  for  a  Baptist  church.  General  Missionary  Freeman,  general 
missionary  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  for  the 
Rocky  Mountain  district,  was  sent   for,  and  within  two  weeks  the 


PERSONAL   SKETCHES  459 

contract  was  let  for  a  $6,000  church  edifice.  During  his  pastorate  at 
Laramie,  he  visited  and  preached  in  nearly  all  the  towns  on  the  rail- 
road between  Laramie  and  Ogden,  a  distance  of  five  hundred  miles, 
holding  services  in  any  place  he  could  find — on  the  street,  in  saloons 
— wherever  he  could  gather  the  people,  and  he  knew  most  of  the 
railroad  men  on  the  route. 

In  April,  1874,  he  received  a  call  from  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  Portland,  Ore.,  to  become  its  pastor,  which  he  accepted.  Re- 
signing his  pastorate  at  Laramie,  he  secured  for  the  church,  through 
Dr.  A.  Hovey,  a  pastor,  Rev.  H.  W.  Thule,  who  was  on  the  ground, 
appointed  by  the  Home  Mission  Society,  preaching  his  first  sermon  as 
pastor  in  the  evening  following  his  own  farewell  sermon  in  the 
morning,  the  first  Sunday  in  July. 

He  arrived  in  Portland  and  began  his  work  in  the  prayer  meet- 
ing July  22,  1874,  and  preached  his  first  sermon  as  pastor  on  Sunday, 
August  2.  At  this  time  the  First  Baptist  Church  numbered  one 
hundred  and  sixteen  registered  members,  with  only  seventy-five  resi- 
dent members,  and  was  the  only  Baptist  church  in  the  city.  The 
church  had  conducted  a  mission  in  East  Portland,  but  at  this  time  it 
was  inactive.  At  the  close  of  his  first  year's  work  he  reports  fifty-six 
baptism.s  and  eighty-five  added  to  the  church,  and  mission  revived 
and  another  started,  with  a  Chinese  mission  founded,  which  became 
one  of  the  most  successful  Chinese  missions  ever  established  on  the 
Pacific  Coast.  In  April,  1876,  his  health  failed,  and  he  was  obliged 
to  seek  rest  during  the  summer.  Returning  October  i,  and  finding 
himself  unable  to  continue  his  pastorate,  he  resigned  and  left  the 
Upper  Coast.  He  began  work  in  Portland  with  one  hundred  and 
fourteen  members,  left  there  with  two  hundred  and  sixteen,  of  whom 
he  had  baptized  one  hundred. 

His  first  visit  to  Puget  Sound  was  in  August,  1874,  where  he  was 
sent  by  the  Portland  church  to  attend  a  council  at  Olympia.  called  for 
the  purpose  of  examining  for  ordination  Hon.  R.  S.  Greene,  who  was 
then  associate  justice  for  Washington  Territory.  He  made  a  second 
visit  to  the  Sound  in  the  summer  of  1875  upon  invitation  of  Rev. 
J.  A.  Wirth,  pastor  of  the  First  Church  at  Seattle,  to  aid  in  raising 
the  debt  upon  their  house  of  worship,  and  to  attend  the  annual 
gathering  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association  being  held  with  the  First 
Church  of  Seattle  that  year.  In  April.  1883,  he  was  called  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Seattle.  Meantime  he  had 
spent  several  months  in  California,  some  time  in  L^tah.  went  back  to 
his  old  pastorate  at  Laramie  in  October,  1877,  where  he  remained 
until  March.  1881,  leaving  the  church  in  the  midst  of  a  revival  after 
baptizing  thirty-nine  converts.  On  his  way  to  Walla  Walla,  where 
he  had  been  appointed  as  missionary,  he  stopped  at  Boise  City,  where 
he  arrived  late  on  Sabbath  evening.  Stopping  here  by  request  of 
officials  of  the  Home  Mission  Society,  he  held  meetings  for  three 
weeks,   paid    a   debt    of   $700   on    the    church    property,    painted    the 


460       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

house,  raised  the  membership  from  three  to  twenty,  and  opened  the 
way  for  the  settlement  of  a  pastor. 

On  his  way  from  this  point  to  Walla  Walla  he  stopped  at  Baker 
City,  where  he  held  meetings  for  a  week,  and  the  church  was 
encouraged  to  take  on  a  new  and  aggressive  life.  He  stopped  at 
Pendleton  over  Sabbath  and  preached  to  the  church  at  that  point. 
He  arrived  at  Walla  Walla  the  last  of  March,  on  a  Monday  morning. 
Characteristically  he  arranged  for  a  meeting  on  Tuesday  evening, 
made  forty  visits  that  week,  invited  everybody  to  the  new  church 
service  on  Sabbath.  He  found  himself  on  Sabbath  morning  with 
eleven  in  the  congregation.  He  says  of  that  experience  that  "  the 
people  outside  of  half  a  dozen  Baptists  cared  not  a  straw  for  us. 
and  it  took  a  whole  year  to  win  their  favor."  After  much  waiting, 
and  amid  many  discouragements,  he  began  the  work  of  building  a 
house  of  worship,  which  he  finally  succeeded  in  dedicating  in  the 
early  spring  of  1883. 

From  this  work  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  First 
Church  of  Seattle,  and  began  work  with  that  church  April  13,  1883, 
with  one  hundred  and  sixteen  members  enrolled,  seventy  of  whom 
were  resident.  In  1884  church  parlors  were  added.  In  March,  1885, 
the  Jackson  Street  Mission  was  established,  out  of  which  has  grown 
the  Market  Street  Church.  In  the  summer  of  1885  he  organized  the 
Duwamish  Mission,  and  organized  a  church  there.  In  1886  the 
Houghton,  now  Kirkland  church,  was  also  organized  with  mem- 
bers mostly  from  the  First  Church.  The  North  Seattle  Mission  was 
established  in  1887,  and  grew  into  a  church  in  1888.  He  resigned 
this  pastorate  in  the  summer  of  1888,  having  received  into  the 
church  during  his  five  and  one-half  years  of  service,  by  baptism, 
ninety-four;  by  letter,  ninety-five;  by  experience,  twenty-three, 
leaving  an  enrolled  membership  of  two  hundred  and  thirty. 

In  the  fall  of  1888  he  entered  upon  the  professorship  of  Moral 
and  Mental  Science  in  the  University  of  Washington,  a  position  he 
had  practically  filled  for  two  years  before.  During  his  service  of 
two  years  he  preached  at  various  places  on  Sabbaths,  notably  at 
Kent,  where  he  organized  a  church  and  erected  a  house  of  worship ; 
at  Ballard,  where,  with  Rev.  E.  G.  Wheeler,  the  Ballard  church  was 
organized  in  1890;  at  Kirkland,  where  a  house  was  erected  and  dedi- 
cated in  1890;  at  North  Seattle,  where  he  supplied  the  new  church 
for  five  months  pending  the  erection  of  its  building  and  the  coming 
of  its  pastor-elect,  Rev.  Thomas  Baldwin.  We  find  him  at  Fair- 
haven  as  pastor  in  1890  and  1891,  where  he  built  a  parsonage. 
Again  at  Snohomish  and  Everett  with  the  now  sainted  Wheeler  and 
chape!  car,  aiding  in  organizing  a  church  at  each  point,  and  becom- 
ing pastor  at  both  places  in  1892. 

Meantime  he  had  been  honored  by  the  State  University  of 
\\'ashington  with  the  degree  of  D.  D.,  and  his  service  as  teacher 
was  again   in  demand  at  the  head  of  the  University  of  Seattle,  a 


PERSONAL   SKETCHES  46 1 

private  institution  with  Baptist  expectations.  This  work  he  and 
his  devoted  competent  wife  carried  for  three  years  with  marked 
success,  when  the  environments  that  surrounded  them  are  considered. 
He  says :  "  For  three  years  this  was  the  happiest  home  my  wife  ever 
enjoyed,  and  well  did  she  fill  her  place."  From  this  service  he  entered 
Vashon  College,  where  he  filled  a  chair. 

While  enjoying  a  much-needed  rest  in  his  cottage  at  Chautauqua, 
he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Berkeley, 
Cal.  Here  he  found  a  debt  on  the  church  property  of  $3,400, 
on  which  had  been  duplicated  the  principal  in  interest  paid  and 
due.  The  building  was  unfavorably  located.  Seizing  a  liberal  offer 
of  the  mortgagee  and  his  wife,  he  had  it  removed  to  a  more  fa- 
vorable location,  paid  the  debt,  made  improvements  costing  over 
$5,000,  raised  the  membership  from  forty-one  to  seventy-one  in 
two  years. 

At  about  the  close  of  this  work  the  great  sorrow  of  his  life 
came  upon  him  in  the  loss  of  his  devoted  wife.  She  who  had  shared 
his  joy  in  success,  and  cheered  and  stimulated  him  to  nobler  deeds 
when  failures  and  disappointments  overtook  him,  gave  him  the 
cheerful,  appreciative  w'ord  and  caress  when  others  criticized,  found 
fault,  and  broke  friendship  with  him ;  the  consecrated  wife  who  shared 
his  work,  indeed  made  his  remarkable  career  possible.  She  was  not, 
for  God  took  her,  and  the  strong  man,  bowled  under  his  grief,  was 
broken.  While  he  sought  and  obtained  comfort  from  the  Divine,  yet 
the  tension  of  his  life  gave  way,  and  recovery  from  the  blow  did 
not  seem  to  be  the  -will  of  the  dear  Saviour,  whom  he  loved  and 
served  with  such  breadth  of  planning,  such  devotion  of  heart,  and 
intensity  of  purpose  and  life.  His  home  was  broken  up,  his  children 
scattered.  Among  the  wide  circle  of  his  acquaintances  few  homes 
were  at  his  service,  though  his  own  home  had  always  been  shared 
with  the  needy  and  afflicted,  as  well  as  most  generously  open  to  the 
ministry  of  Christ  Jesus.  And  yet  God  did  not  leave  nor  forsake  him. 
In  the  far-away  home  of  his  early  manhood  a  lady  friend  of  his 
student  days  whom  God  had  blest  with  abundance  and  a  Christlike 
spirit,  freely,  gladly,  gave  rest  and  home  for  the  weary  servant  of 
God,  until  God  took  him. 

Few  men  have  expressed  and  impressed  their  personality  in 
Wyoming  and  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast  as  has  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce, 
D.  D.  He  was  at  once  the  student,  teacher,  preacher,  pastor,  mis- 
sionary, professor,  pioneer,  and  man-of-all-work.  He  took  upon  him- 
self the  care  of  all  the  churches.  With  him  there  was  always 
more  to  follow.  He  never  left  a  church  with  less  than  he  found 
when  coming.  He  never  left  an  Association  or  Convention  without 
suggesting  some  great  forward  movement,  often  mapping  it  out  and 
outlining  details.  He  lived  largely  in  the  future.  H  he  had  a  fault, 
it  would  be  found  in  this  characteristic  of  the  man.  He  could  not 
abide  the  time  of  growth  to  maturity.     He  could  not  settle  down  to 


46j     baptist  history  of  the  north  pacific  coast 

the  working  out  of  a  single  plan.  He  could  not  close  up  the  busi- 
ness of  to-day.  He  must  be  off.  Something  new  and  still  greater 
came  from  his  fruitful  brain  like  a  rushing  torrent.  No  church 
could  follow  him  for  a  series  of  years.  And  yet  many  of  his  sug- 
gestions were  stimulating,  and  many  of  his  plans  practical  and  suc- 
cessful. Many  others  were  wrought  into  and  are  being  worked  out 
in  other  lives.  Many  of  his  failures  were  grafted  into  and  are 
growing  in  the  parent  tree  of  denominational  life  to-day.  If  in  life  he 
ever  grew  out  of  the  sympathy  of  his  co-laborers  by  his  overflow  of 
plans  for  the  future  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  denomination  be- 
loved, and  the  King  he  served,  still  his  great  heart  throbbing  for  the 
rapid  extension  of  Christ's  kingdom  and  the  work  he  himself  wrought 
to  promote  it,  will  be  recognized  as  of  more  and  more  value  as  the 
years  go  by. 

He  is  still  living  in  many  hearts,  and  his  lifework  will  have  an 
end  only  when  all  of  God's  purposes  of  grace  for  a  lost  world  shall 
have  been  wrought  out. 

Rev.   Roger  S.  Greene 

As  layman,  preacher,  biblical  exegete  and  judge,  he  held  a  lead- 
ing position  in  the  shaping  of  our  denominational  affairs.  His  posi- 
tion as  federal  judge  gave  the  denomination  great  confidence  in 
his  ability  to  handle  their  legal  propositions,  and  they  were  not  slow 
in  handing  them  to  him;  and  with  his  great  Christian  heart  he 
treated  them  with  the  grace  of  a  judge,  but  without  fee,  doing  it  as 
unto  the  Lord. 

As  a  layman  and  preacher  he  was  always  listened  to  with 
interest  and  profit.  As  a  biblical  exegete  he  had  few  superiors,  and 
perhaps  none  on  the  Upper  Coast.  He  was  a  diligent  Bible  student. 
While  his  interpretations  could  not  always  be  accepted,  nor  in  the 
higher  life  could  the  people  keep  pace  with  him,  yet  we  should  be 
greatly  the  losers  on  the  Upper  Coast  should  we  be  bereft  of  his 
influence  in  religion  and  civic  righteousness.  He  took  his  Bible 
with  him,  and  opened  his  court  with  bowed  head  and  prayer.  He 
was  liberal  to  a  fault,  and  among  our  best  promoters  of  mission 
work  in  those  early  days. 

Rev.   JosiAH   Harris   Teale 

Rev.  Josiah  Harris  Teale  was  born  January  i6,  1846,  on  a  farm 
near  Coshocton,   Ohio. 

Fatherless  at  the  age  of  twelve,  and  homeless  at  sixteen,  he 
worked  his  way  through  college  at  Denison  University,  and  was 
graduated  with  the  degree  of  A.  B.  in  the  class  of  1874. 

His  pastorates  upon  the  Pacific  Coast  were  at  Santa  Cruz,  Cal., 
1875-1877;  at  Victoria,  B.  C,  1877-1879;  Oregon  City,  Ore.,  1879- 
1884;  and  Portland  (Calvary  Church),  Ore.,  1890-1895. 


Rev.  Walter  Barss 


PERSONAL    SKETCHES  463 

From  1 884- 1 886  he  was  missionary  pastor  under  the  Home 
Mission  Society  at  Medical  Lake  and  Cheney,  and  for  three  years, 
ending  1889,  he  was  general  missionary  for  east  Washington  and 
North  Idaho  under  the  Mission  Board  of  that  district,  with  head- 
quarters at  Spokane. 

For  five  years,  ending  1898,  he  was  connected  with  the  editorial 
and  business  management  of  the  Pacific  Baptist,  from  which  work 
he  went  to  service  in  the  Anti-saloon  League  of  New  York,  where 
he  is  still  in  service  as  treasurer  when  this  history  ceases  in  1900. 

Rev.   Waltar    Barss 

First  pastor  of  the  Calvary  Baptist  Church.  Victoria,  B.  C. 
Appreciation  of  the  Northwestern  Baptist  Association  passed  at  its 
annual  session  in  1891  : 

Resolved,  That  in  the  early  death  of  Rev.  Waltar  Barss  at  Geneva, 
N.  Y.,  formerly  first  pastor  of  the  Calvary  Baptist  Church,  Victoria,  B.  C., 
our  Association  mourns  deeply  the  premature  loss  of  one  so  well  fitted 
to  lead  the  people  of  God  to  success.  A  highly  esteemed  brother  and 
beloved  fellow-worker  in  the  Lord,  who  for  three  years  held  the  frontier 
post  of  our  Association  and  left  a  precious  memory  enduring  as  the  rock 
on  which  he  built  the  church.  (Referring  to  the  solid  rock  on  which  the 
Calvary  house  of  worship  is  built.  Author.)  Canvassing  his  own 
Eastern  home  for  aid,  and  bringing  with  him  a  fund  of  $700  with  which 
to  begin  his  building,  he  reared  an  enduring  monument,  reminding  us  of 
his  systematic  effort,  his  untiring  energy,  and  his  patient  toil.  Beginning 
with  a  bare  lot.  he  left  a  fine  house  of  worship,  and  a  strong,  self- 
supporting   church. 

Brother  Barss  was  a  native  of  Nova  Scotia,  educated  at 
Rochester,  where  he  graduated  from  the  theological  seminary  in 
1880.  He  was  one  among  several  young  men  from  that  school  who 
were  persuaded  by  the  author,  who  was  Superintendent  of  Missions 
for  the  North  Pacific  Coast  at  that  time,  to  take  up  work  in  the 
far  Northwest.  To  persuade  these  men  that  the  call  was  from  the 
Lord  was  no  easy  matter.  The  more  inviting  and  lucrative  fields 
in  the  East  were  in  competition  and  could  press  many  advantages 
in  regard  to  work  in  the  older  States  and  larger  churches.  But 
when  they  recognized  the  call  of  the  Lord  they  came  with  no 
lingering  regret,  and  with  their  whole  heart  entered  upon  the  work, 
and  they  were  greatly  prospered  as  in  this  case.  Brother  Barss 
was  a  strong  man.  He  was  not  a  "  rusher,"  but  a  builder.  H'is 
teaching  and  life  in  Christ  Jesus  was  a  mold  in  which  the  Calvary 
Church's  life  and  character  were  run.  And  it  came  out  one  of  the 
strongest  and  most  influential  of  the  Baptist  churches  in  the  North- 
west. We  regarded  it  as  a  great  denominational  loss  when  he  left 
the  coast.  But  his  work  goes  on,  and  ever  in  the  history  of  that 
noble  church  Rev.  Waltar  Barss.  their  first  pastor,  must  have  a 
prominent,  a   con.spicuous   setting. 


464       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

Rev.  B.  S.  MacLafferty 

Was  a  leading  spirit  in  foreign  missions  in  all  his  pastorates.  For 
several  years  he  represented  the  Missionary  Union  on  the  North 
Pacific  Coast.  (Now  American  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society.) 
He  was  appointed  by  and  reported  to  Rev.  C.  F.  Tolman,  D.  D., 
whose  territory  as  district  secretary  covered  the  North  Pacific  Coast. 
Doctor  Tolman  says  of  him:  "He  was  one  of  my  best  secretaries." 
Brother  MacLafferty  took  up  the  work  on  the  Upper  Coast  in 
1880,  when  not  a  tithe  of  the  churches  were  making  contributions  to 
foreign  missions.  He  was  appointed  also  by  the  North  Pacific 
Baptist  Convention  in  1880  to  represent  foreign  missions  on  its 
field.  His  service  was  gratuitous,  Doctor  Tolman  paying  his  travel- 
ing expenses.  He  had  his  first  experience  in  1880  at  the  Cen- 
tral Association  in  Oregon,  numbering  one  thousand  and  eighty-six 
members.  In  four  years  he  developed  sixty-five  per  cent  of  the 
churches  on  the  whole  field  as  regular  contributors  to  foreign 
missions. 

See  his  fourteen  Articles  of  Faith  on  foreign  missions  following, 
which  was  adopted  by  the  Central  Association  after  long  and  heated 
discussion,  by  a  vote  of  twenty-six  to  twenty-two.  These  articles 
were  published  by  the  Union  in  Boston,  and  had  a  wide  circulation, 
especially  on  the  coast,  where  they  were  a  most  valuable  foreign 
mission  asset.  They  are  out  of  print  now,  but  we  regard  them  as 
worthy  of  permanent  place,  as  this  historical  record  will  show. 
They  were  presented  as  follows : 

Inasmuch  as  we  feel  the  need  of  some  definite  expression  of  our 
views  on  this  all-important  subject,  we  recommend  the  adoption  of  the 
following  Articles  of  Faith,  written  by  our  beloved  brother,  B.  S.  Mac- 
Lafferty, of  Oakland,  Gal. : 

1.  We  believe  that  "  the  world  is  all  Christ's,  and  that  no  consider- 
ation of  the  obligation  of  missions  would  be  broad  and  worthy  that  did 
not  bring  under  its  purview  the  condition  and  wants  of  the  whole  world." 

2.  We  believe  that  Christ  is  the  world's  great  need,  and  that  for  lack 
of  a  knowledge  of  him  millions  of  immortal  beings  are  passing  into 
eternity  unenlightened  and  unsaved. 

3.  We  believe  that  it  is  the  paramount  duty  of  every  Christian,  ac- 
cording to  the  measure  of  his  opportunity,  to  give  the  knowledge  of 
Christ,  or  make  that  knowledge  possible  to  every  human  soul. 

4.  We  believe  that  the  great  lack  of  our  churches  is  a  more  vivid 
conception  of  the  world's  perishing  need  of  Christ,  and  their  imperative 
obligation  to  supply  that  need. 

5.  We  believe  that  the  Baptists  of  America  have  occasion  for  hu- 
miliation in  the  fact  that  less  than  a  quarter  of  their  number  make  any 
contributions  whatever  toward  the  conversion  of  the  heathen  world. 

6.  We  believe  that  the  absence  of  the  missionary  conviction  from  our 
churches  is  traceable  in  no  inconsiderable  degree  to  the  apathy  of  pastors, 
and  their  consequent  failure  to  enlist  the  sympathies  of  their  people  in 
the  noblest  work  man  has  ever  undertaken,  or  that  God  has  called  him 
to  perform ;  since  no  pastor,  possessed  by  the  true  "  missionary  convic- 
tion," would  ever  wholly  fail  to  impress  the  same  upon  his  people. 

7.  We  believe  that  the  time  has  fully  come  when  the  standing  of  that 


PERSONAL    SKETCHES  465 

church   in   which   no   contributions   are  made   to   the   work  of    Christ    in 
foreign  lands  ought  to  be  challenged,  and  such  omission  explained. 

8.  We  believe  that  the  "  minimum "  annual  contribution  of  every 
Baptist  church  should  be  one  dollar  for  each  of  its  members;  that  to 
contribute  less  is  "  to  play  at  missions,"  while  to  give  nothing  is  prac- 
tically to  condemn  them. 

9.  We  believe  that  missions  have  already  accomplished  enough  to 
demonstrate  that  they  can  do  all  that  remains  to  be  done ;  that  the  monu- 
ments they  have  erected,  and  the  trophies  they  have  won,  furnish  an 
argument  to  strengthen  our  faith,  encourage  our  hope,  and  stimulate  our 
exertion  in  the  grand  work  of  carrying  the  gospel  to  all  nations. 

10.  We  believe  that  with  an  upward  movement  in  the  contributions 
of  our  churches,  there  may  be,  and  will  be,  such  an  advance  in  the 
operations  of  our  missionary  societies  as  shall  speedily  plant  Christian 
institutions  in  all  the  earth,  and  make  Christian  hopes  and  Christian 
homes  the  heritage  of  all   the  children   of  men. 

11.  We  believe  that  the  church  of  Christ  may,  and  of  right  should, 
anticipate  the  complete  evangelization  of  the  world  by  the  close  of  the 
present  century,  and  that  such  a  consummation  has  a  legitimate  basis 
in  the  missionary  achievements  of  the  last  fifty  years,  though  these, 
inspiring  as  they  are,  represent  but  a  fractional  part  of  the  power  which 
the  church  might  have  exerted. 

12.  W^e  believe  that  it  is  the  imperative  duty  of  each  of  our  churches 
to  adopt  some  plan  for  securing  contributions  to  send  the  gospel  to  the 
"  regions  beyond." 

13.  We  believe  that  in  advocating  the  cause  of  foreign  missions  we 
are  most  effectively  promoting  the  work  that  lies  at  our  own  door,  in  our 
own  land ;  that  the  one  is  a  necessary  complement  to  the  other,  and  that 
the  church  which  adopts  the  selfish  theory  of  confining  her  benevolent 
operations  to  her  own  individual  wants  must  suffer  diminution  of  her  own 
gifts  and  graces,  and  a  gradual  drying-up  of  her  energies. 

14.  We  believe  that  God  calls  us  to-day,  more  loudly  than  ever 
before,  to  make  sacrifices  for  Christ,  and  to  pray  more  fervently  for  the 
prevalence  of  his  kingdom,  that  the  cross  of  Christ  may  be  the  one 
shrine  at  which  all  hearts  shall  bow,  and  the  one  bond  by  which  all  souls 
shall   be   united. 

Rev,   D.    D.    Proper 

Rev.  D.  D.  Proper  was  appointed  by  the  Home  Mission  Society 
to  serve  as  general  missionary  of  the  Northv\^est  Convention,  in- 
cluding western  Washington  and  British  Columbia,  and  Eastern 
Washington  and  Northern  Idaho  Convention.  He  began  his  work  in 
March,  1891,  following  Rev.  J.  Sunderland,  D.  D.  He  served  in  this 
capacity  for  nearly  five  years,  when  the  growth  of  the  work  re- 
quired a  missionary  for  each  Convention  field,  and  his  labors  were 
afterward  confined  to  the  Northwest  Convention,  which  he  served 
until  July,  1897,  when  he  resigned  and  was  transferred  east  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  occupying  the  position  of  general  missionary  for 
Colorado.  Brother  Proper  came  to  the  field  during  the  great  finan- 
cial depression  incident  to  the  bursting  of  the  "  boom "  on  the 
North  Coast  and  the  wider  and  more  general  financial  depression 
over  the  whole  country  which  so  seriously  affected  the  W'Ork  of  the 
Home  Mission  Society.  It  required  a  man  of  great  faith  and  cour- 
age to  undertake  so  great  a  work  under  such  conditions.     He  came 

2E 


466       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

from  the  pastorate  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Atchison,  Kan., 
without  experience  as  a  general  missionary,  but  his  record  shows  a 
diversity  of  gifts  for  such  work. 

Six  and  a  half  years  of  continuous  work  of  such  character  is  in 
itself  a  record  worthy  of  a  historical  setting.  But  his  summary  of 
results  in  western  Washington  and  British  Columbia  marks  an  era 
in  the  history  of  the  Northwest  Convention.     He  says: 

During  this  time  the  number  of  churches  has  increased  from  forty- 
seven  to  seventy-six,  and  the  membership  from  two  thousand  two  hun- 
dred and  forty-two  to  five  thouand  seven  hundred  and  fifty-five.  Eleven 
of  these  churches  have  lost  their  visibility  and  have  been  dropped  from 
the  list,  while  six  others  have  been  disbanded  and  reorganized ;  thirty- 
eight  new  churches  have  been  organized  during  this  time,  thirty-six 
meeting-houses  have  been  built  or  purchased  for  churches,  besides  three 
Sunday-school  chapels.  Only  one  pastor  is  occupying  the  same  place  he 
was  holding  six  and  a  half  years  ago,  namely.  Rev.  J.  A.  H.  Johnson,  of 
Tacoma  Scandinavian  Church.  There  are  only  six  pastors  now  in  the 
work  who  were  pastors  six  years  ago.  Sixty  pastors  have  dropped  out 
of  the  work  for  one  cause  or  another.  Some  churches  have  had  four  or 
five  pastors  during  the  time. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  such  statistics  as  these  cover  the 
work  of  the  whole  number  of  churches  and  workers  of  all  kinds,  and 
cannot  all  be  credited  to  the  general  missionary.  At  the  same  time 
this  is  true — that  fully  one-half  the  churches  reporting  since  the 
Convention  was  organized  were  mission  churches  under  his  super- 
vision, leaving  still  a  remarkable  record  for  the  general  missionary. 

In  British  Columbia,  which  was  an  important  part  of  the  great 
field  under  his  jurisdiction,  he  has  both  a  record  and  cherished 
memory.  At  about  the  time  of  his  resignation  he  had  made  an  im- 
portant trip  through  the  "  trail  country,"  opening  up  and  giving 
direction  to  work  already  started  in  that  great  field,  at  that  time 
the  most  important  to  be  opened  in  the  Province.  The  brethren 
in  the  Province  speak  in  high  commendation  of  his  work,  and 
especially  of  this  closing  effort.  Upon  his  return,  and  in  the  last 
meeting  he  attended  in  Victoria,  B.  C,  the  brethren  presented  him 
with  a  beautifully  engraved  gold-headed  cane  as  a  token  of  their 
high  respect  and  Christian  love.  A  great  work  was  wrought  under 
his  administration,  and  resolutions  of  high  commendations  by  the 
Associations  and  by  the  First  Church  of  Seattle,  where  he  held  his 
membership,   were  given  him. 

Rev.  George  Robert  Cairns 
International  Evangelist 
This  dear  brother  deserves  a  historical  setting  among  the  men 
who,  under  God,  contribute  largely  to  the  development  of  Baptist 
growth  on  the  Pacific  Coast  in  the  eighties  and  nineties,  and 
especially  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast;  not  in  any  official  relation  to 
the  work,  but  in  an  equally  effective  way,  often  more  salutary  than 
even  pastors  or  other  officials.     He  is  an  evangelist  of  international 


Rev.  Geo.  Robert  Cairns 


PERSONAL    SKETCHES  46/' 

reputation,  a  thoroughly  conscientious  Baptist,  bibhcally  forceful 
in  his  teaching,  devoting  himself  largely  to  meetings  in  his  own 
denomination  where  he  was  helpful  to  pastors,  and  wise  in  counsel 
where  the  pastoral  office  was  vacant.  With  a  passion  for  souls,  be- 
lieving that  God  had  called  him  to  lead  men  to  Jesus  Christ  to  be 
saved,  he  was  eminently  fitted  to  answer  a  call  to  a  city  or  church  at  a 
crisis  period,  and  aid  in  leading  them  to  victory  over  Satan  and  a 
successful  issue  in  their  work.  Being  a  singer  of  note  too,  there  were 
no  conditions  in  which  he  did  not  seem  fitted  to  aid  God's  people. 

To  have  a  man  of  such  reputation  come  upon  our  field  when  it 
was  so  often  struggling  for  advancement,  and  churches  often  for  an 
existence,  was  in  itself  a  spiritual  uplift;  and  to  have  him  hold 
meetings  in  our  larger  cities  and  churches,  and  smaller  ones  as  well, 
was  marked  not  only  by  the  large  ingatherings  of  the  churches, 
but  by  a  toning  up  of  denominational  character  and  standing  so  often 
needed  and  highly  appreciated  in  those  earlier  eventful  times.  There 
are  few  of  the  larger  cities  and  influential  churches  of  our  denomina- 
tion in  the  States  of  California,  Oregon,  Washington,  and  the 
Province  of  British  Columbia  but  have  joyful  memories  of  his  visits 
and  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  and  strengthening  of  the  churches 
and  cause  which  all  our  people  were  endeavoring  to  promote. 

True,  there  were  other  evangelists  of  note,  like  Rev.  A.  P. 
Graves,  D.  D.,  Rev.  W.  R.  Brown,  and  others  who  performed  a 
like  service  and  won  our  love  and  appreciation.  But  "  George 
Robert,"  as  we  used  to  call  him,  came  oftener  and  remained  longer. 
He  was  but  a  boy  preacher  at  first.  Then,  when  his  saintly  father, 
Rev.  J.  Cairns,  moved  to  our  field,  his  boy  preacher  came  to  us 
oftener,  and  we  loved  him  for  his  father's  sake  as  well,  and  finally 
ordained  him  July  26,  1898,  having  called  together  a  distinguished 
council  for  the  purpose  at  Snohomish,  where  his  father  was  pastor. 

To  give  historical  credit  and  setting  to  all  the  agencies  and 
persons  God  has  used  to  establish  his  work  and  spread  the  "  good 
news"  on  this  Upper  Coast,  is  beyond  the  limit  of  any  author;  but  so 
far  as  they  can  be  recognized,  it  is  the  historian's  joy  to  record  them, 
especially  as  in  this  case,  when  the  author's  personal  knowledge 
covers  the  record. 

Rev.    Sterling   Hill 
(Editorial    in    the   Baptist   Beacon,    May,    1883) 

AN    AFFECTING    SCENE 

The  scene  is  laid  in  a  sickroom.  An  aged  minister  with  whitened 
locks  and  furrowed  brow  and  emaciated  form  is  lying  upon  the  bed. 
Disease  is  preying  upon  the  vitals  of  that  once  stalwart  form ;  the 
voice  which  for  so  many  years  and  in  so  many  places  had  given 
utterance  to  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  is  now  too  feeble  for 
extended  conversation.  The  man  of  God  who,  though  not  eloquent, 
has  been  true  to  his  calling,  true  to  the  church,  true  to  the  ministry. 


468       BAPTIST    HISTORY    OF    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC    COAST 

true  to  Christ  and  souls,  and  to  the  extent  of  his  abiUty  true  to  the 
world,  has  laid  down  his  armor  and  is  waiting  the  order  of  the  great 
Captain  for  release. 

The  time  is  suggestive;  the  quiet  of  the  holy  Sabbath  is  upon 
him.  The  family,  save  the  ever-attentive  and  devoted  wife,  are  at 
church,  and  the  mind  of  the  man  of  God  is  upon  scenes  of  vigorous 
manhood  and  active  ministerial  life,  in  which  his  heart  is  still 
vigorous,  but  to  which  he  can  no  longer  extend  a  vigorous  helping 
hand.  Unbidden  tears  are  upon  his  cheek;  he  turns  his  face  to  the 
wall  to  pray  when  his  eye  falls  upon  the  pictures  of  two  of  his  sons, 
and  his  mind  brings  the  third  and  eldest  into  the  group  though  thou- 
sands of  miles   away.     Then  he  said: 

"  My  eldest  son  was  recentl}'  ordained  to  the  Baptist  ministry  in  one 
of  the  Southern  States,  and  is  probably  preaching  the  gospel  to-day. 
My  second  son  is  a  student  in  an  Eastern  theological  seminary,  and  is 
also  preaching  to-day  as  supply  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  seminary. 
My  third  is  supplying  the  pulpit  of  his  pastor  at  home,  while  he  is 
absent  preaching  to  another  congregation."  As  these  thoughts  pass 
through  the  mind  of  the  man  of  God  the  tears  flow  afresh,  but  they 
are  tears  of  joy;  his  prayer  is  turned  to  praise  and  his  heart  says, 
"  Lord,  it  is  enough !  Now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace 
for   mine   eyes   have   seen   thy   salvation." 

We  have  been  describing  an  actual  occurrence  in  our  own  State. 
This  man  of  God  will  soon  pass  away.  He  has  no  money  to  found 
a  school  of  learning,  or  even  to  endow  a  professorship  to  perpetuate 
his  name  in  the  world;  he  cannot  leave  fifty  or  one  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars  to  home  and  foreign  missions,  nor  any  sum  to  charitable 
institutions.  But  he  will  leave  to  the  world  a  legacy  in  these  three 
noble  sons  of  inestimable  value.  His  name  may  be  soon  forgotten 
by  men,  but  it  will  be  endeared  to  the  service  and  remembered  by  the 
heavenly  Father  when  he  shall  have  joined  the  everlasting  choir,  and 
with  voice  of  angelic  sweetness  and  purity  shall  utter  the  praises  of 
him  who  hath  given  him  sons  and  has  honored  him  by  calling  them 
into  the  ministry.  Truly  the  trials  and  struggles  of  ministerial  life 
are  not  always  without  reward.  The  author  will  never  forget  this 
visit,  nor  cease  to  thank  God  for  its  impressions. 

This  man  was  a  native  of  Tennessee.  He  was  converted  at 
the  age  of  nineteen;  studied  for  a  time  in  William  Jewell  College; 
began  his  ministry  in  Missouri  in  1854;  preached  in  California, 
Oregon,  and  Idaho ;  but  most  of  his  work  was  done  in  Oregon,  where 
he  is  remembered  as  a  faithful  friend  and  brother  beloved.  In  all  the 
positions  he  occupied,  whether  as  missionary,  pastor,  colporter,  Bible 
agent,  or  Sunday-school  worker,  he  was  an  honored  servant  for 
Jesus.  He  will  not  be  soon  forgotten  for  his  personal  work  of 
thirty  years  on  the  Pacific  Coast.  His  name  will  be  perpetuated 
by  his  scholarly  and  devoted  son,  Rev.  C.  M.  Hill,  one  of  the  growing 
men  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  by  his  equally  devoted  son.  Rev. 
George  W.  Hill,  a  successful  missionary  to  Japan. 


APPENDIX 


REV.  C.  H.  MATTOON'S  ACCOUNT  OF 
HIS  HISTORICAL  WORK 


I  began  gathering  data  for  a  history  of  the  Baptists  on  the  North- 
west Coast  mainly  for  my  own  satisfaction,  with  little  regard  for 
system,  order,  or  continuity;  but,  after  1886,  I  had  a  more  definite 
purpose — to  preserve  at  least  an  outline  of  the  trials  and  difficulties 
met,  the  labors  performed,  and  the  results  wrought  out  by  our  early 
Baptist  pioneers. 

The  field  to  be  covered  by  this  work  was  old  Oregon,  embracing 
Oregon,  Washington,  Idaho,  and  also  British  Columbia;  and  I  wished 
to  consider  all  the  Baptist  agencies  operating  on  this  field  from  the 
first  humble  beginnings  in  the  log  cabin  of  David  T.  Lenox  on  May 
25,  1844,  to  December  31,  1900. 

To  carry  out  this  program,  I  listed  the  following  sources  from 
which  to  obtain  data: 

1.  Church  records,  which  I  should  examine  personally. 

2.  Full  files  of  all  minutes,  annuals,  reports,  and  kindred  papers 
from  the  entire  North  Pacific  Coast. 

3.  Extracts  and  clippings  with  reference  to  Baptists  or  Baptist 
work  from  all  available  newspapers,  whether  in  or  out  of  the  field. 

4.  Personal  reminiscences  of  brethren  contemporaneous  with  the 
events  detailed  in  the  history,  gathered  from  every  portion  of  the 
field,  and  from  every  line  of  Baptist  labor.  Of  course,  my  own  rem- 
iniscences would  be  included. 

5.  Full,  or  nearly  full,  files  of  reports,  monthlies,  or  other  peri- 
odicals from  all  our  Eastern  national  societies,  especially  those  well 
filled  with  statistics  and  correspondence. 

6.  Files  of  pioneer  reports,  and  quite  a  large  number  of  miscel- 
laneous bound  volumes  and  pamphlets,  both  religious  and  secular, 
treating  of  early  times  on  this  Northwest  Coast. 

To  procure  all  these  data  required  time,  labor,  and  expense.  About 
twenty-five  Baptist  brethren,  accordingly,  subscribed  $1,000  or  more 
to  cover  my  expenses  for  about  two  years,  while  I  visited  the  entire 
field  and  afterward  prepared  the  data  for  publication. 

When  I  began  my  labors,  I  supposed  that  I  could  condense  the 
most  important  data  into  a  single  large  volume,  and  so  represented  it 
to  the  brethren ;  before  I  finished,  however,  I  found  that  I  had  enough 
matter  to  fill  several  volumes  of  the  ordinary  size.  The  problem  which 
then  confronted  me  was  how  to  arrange  my  material  in  the  form 
most  desirable  to  satisfy  my  readers:  and  my  final  conclusion  was  to 
give  a  separate  volume  to  the  work  in  each  State,  or  in  each  Convention 

471 


47-  APPENDIX 

field,  each  volume  perhaps  with  its  own  editor,  and  all  under  some 
general  title,  so  as  to  make  a  series  of  companion  volumes,  each  a 
part  of  the  complete  history  of  Baptist  labors  on  the  North  Pacific 
Coast. 

Ill  health  and  advancing  age,  with  its  many  infirmities,  made  it  im- 
possible to  carry  out  my  purpose;  and  hence,  after  careful  consider- 
ation and  advising  with  friends  and  subscribers,  it  was  thought  wiser 
to  divide  the  material  pertaining  to  different  localities  among  thor- 
oughly competent  and  well-posted  brethren,  in  whom  we  had  con- 
fidence, and  to  let  them,  with  the  aid  of  the  data,  write  up  the  history, 
each  of  his  own  field,  reserving  for  myself  the  field  of  Oregon  as  it 
now  is.  Accordingly,  after  some  preliminary  correspondence  to  ar- 
range terms  and  settle  details,  I  turned  over  the  portion  of  the  ma- 
terial covering  western  Washington,  British  Columbia,  and  Alaska, 
to  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  Rev.  S.  W.  Beaven,  and  Rev.  J.  Cairns;  the 
portion  covering  eastern  Washington  and  northern  Idaho  to  Revs. 
J.  H.  Beaven  and  A.  M.  Allyn;  the  portion  covering  the  Idaho  State 
Convention,  after  some  necessary  revision,  will  be  sent  to  Revs. 
L.  W.  Gowan  and  W.  H.  Bowler. 

I  have  full  confidence  in  the  several  brethren  undertaking  this  work, 
that  they  will  deal  justly  and  generously  with  me,  and  also  that  they 
will  bring  out  volumes  of  which  they  themselves,  their  several  Con- 
ventions, and  the  Baptists  of  the  entire  North  Pacific  Coast  will  have 
occasion  to  be  proud,  and  that  all  who  read  these  volumes  will  unite 
in  the  unanimous  commendation,  "  Well  done !  " 

All  of  us  who  are  engaged  in  the  work  hope  and  pray  that  these 
records  of  the  trials  and  difficulties  encountered,  the  labors  endured, 
and  the  victories  won  in  these  early  struggles  of  the  pioneers,  when 
scattered  and  few,  to  plant  the  banner  of  the  cross  on  this  Northwest 
Coast,  may  serve  as  an  encouragement  and  a  stimulus  to  the  brethren 
of  these  later  days,  that  they  also  may  put  forth  all  their  talents  and 
energies  to  win  glorious  trophies  of  redemption  through  our  Lord 
and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ. 


DATE  DUE 


HIGHSMITH  #45230 


